Pictured: Chilling indifference of Italians sunbathing just yards from the bodies of two drowned Roma children

Cristina Ibramovitc, 12, and Viola Ibramovitc, 11, were left on the sand for an hour among 'indifferent' holidaymakers after being caught in rough seas.

The two, who are related but not sisters, were among four children who had gone onto the beach to beg.

Indifference: Two Italians refuse to move despite being yards from the two bodies, covered by beach towels

Grim: Many Italians have such a deep-rooted dislike of the Roma, not even death fazes them

Their death highlighted Italy's dramatic problem with Roma gypsy youngsters.

Last month Italian interior minister Roberto Maroni announced controversial plans for fingerprints to be taken from all Roma children, a move widely condemned.

Minister 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.

Gazing: Italians watch unfazed as the two dead children are finally taken away

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 and playing football.

'It was very surreal there was this picture of a typical Italian beach with families enjoying the sun and then just metres away were the bodies of these two children. People were completely indifferent about what had happened.'

A Naples coastguard spokesman said: 'From what we have established these children had come from a camp at Giuliano near Naples on a train and had at first begged by the station.

'Then they moved onto the beach and were selling trinkets and begging and as with all children they were drawn to the water but sadly two of them drowned.

'When we got there there was nothing we could do and so we simply called the mortuary and arranged for them to come and pick up the bodies of the two children.

'While they were on the beach someone used their towel to cover the bodies until the mortuary van arrived.'