Key facts
- Four migrant farm workers were found burned to death in a van in Amendolara, Calabria.
- The victims were allegedly locked inside the vehicle and set alight by their gangmasters after an argument over pay.
- The sole survivor, Taj Mohammad Alamyar, managed to escape.
- Two foreign nationals have been detained on suspicion of aggravated murder.
- The incident highlights labor exploitation in Italy's agricultural sector.
Four migrant farm workers were found burned to death in a van in Amendolara, Calabria, southern Italy, in what authorities are investigating as a suspected hate crime. The victims, identified as three Afghans and one Pakistani, were allegedly locked inside the vehicle and set alight by their gangmasters after an argument over pay. The sole survivor, Taj Mohammad Alamyar, described the horrific event, stating they were promised €45 for eight hours of work but had not been paid since April 20. Surveillance footage showed two individuals setting the van ablaze. Two foreign nationals have been detained on suspicion of aggravated murder. This incident has reignited national debate on the pervasive issue of labor exploitation within Italy's agricultural sector, where an estimated 30% of farm workers were employed off the books in 2023. Public prosecutor Alessandro D'Alessio described the cruelty of the act, and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni vowed that justice would prevail.