Rome, July 21: The bodies of two drowned gypsy children lay covered by towels on an Italian beach while “indifferent” holidaymakers carried on enjoying the sun. Cristina Ibramovitc, 12, and Viola Ibramovitc, 11, were left on the sand for an hour among the holidaymakers after being caught in rough seas.

The two, who are related but not sisters, were among four children who had gone to the beach to beg. Their deaths highlighted the treatment of Roma gipsy youngsters in Italy.

Last month, Italian interior minister Roberto Maroni announced controversial plans for fingerprints to be taken from all Roma children, a move which was widely condemned. Maroni said the plan would cut down on parents who sent their children onto the streets to beg instead of sending them to school.

The tragedy happened on a stretch of beach at Torregaveta, north of Naples, after witnesses said the children, who had been begging and selling trinkets, rushed into the sea.

One eye witness quoted on Italian TV said: “The water was rough and no-one was in the sea but these four Roma children just rushed into the huge waves. “The beach was packed and people soon realised the four were in trouble because the children started screaming and shouting for help. Some people went in and got two of them but the other two couldn’t be saved and they were pulled from the water dead. There bodies were left on the beach for an hour before being collected, just covered by a beach towel while people just got back to sunbathing.