Strik, in comments reported Friday by the Parliamentary Council of Europe, acknowledged that some provisions of Italian law “effectively dissuade” boat captains from helping migrants in distress.
She insisted no law should impede rescuing people whose lives are in danger.
Fiorino, the Italian fisherman, told The Associated Press he saw no signs of any bad behavior from people in boats.
The 66-foot (20-meter) smuggler's boat was carrying migrants from Eritrea, Ghana and Somalia when it caught fire early Thursday near the Lampedusa port, authorities said.
The fire panicked those on board the rickety boat.