New Audio Shows Coast Guard Demanding Italian Capt. Return to Sinking Ship: ‘It Is an Order’
- Posted on January 17, 2012 at 3:14pm by
Christopher Santarelli
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(The Blaze/AP) — The first black box recordings from the captain of the Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia have been released and reveal that the Italian coast guard had to beg, and even threaten, the captain to go back to his crippled cruise ship to oversee its evacuation.
Prosecutors have accused Capt. Francesco Schettino of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning his ship before all passengers were evacuated.
The cruise ship was grounded off the Tuscan coast on Friday night. The death toll nearly doubled to 11 on Tuesday when divers extracted five more bodies from the ship’s wreckage. All were adults wearing life jackets and were found in rear of the ship near an emergency evacuation point, according to Italian Coast Guard Cmdr. Cosimo Nicastro. He said they were thought to have been passengers.
Schettino had made an unauthorized deviation from the cruise ship’s programmed course Friday night, apparently as a favor to his chief waiter, who hailed from the island. Schettino has insisted that he stayed aboard until the ship was evacuated. However, a recording of his conversation with Italian Coast Guard Capt. Gregorio De Falco indicates he fled before all passengers were off – and then resisted De Falco’s repeated orders to return.
“You go on board and then you will tell me how many people there are. Is that clear?” De Falco shouted in the audio tape.
Schettino resisted, saying the ship was tipping and it was dark. At the time, he and his second-in-command were in a lifeboat and the captain said he was coordinating the rescue from there. He also said he was not going back on board the ship “because the other lifeboat is stopped.” Passengers have said many lifeboats on the exposed port side of the ship didn’t winch down after the ship had capsized.
De Falco shouted back: “And so what? You want to go home, Schettino? It is dark and you want to go home? Get on that prow of the boat using the pilot ladder and tell me what can be done, how many people there are and what their needs are. Now!”
“You go aboard. It is an order. Don’t make any more excuses. You have declared ‘Abandon ship,’ now I am in charge,” De Falco shouted.
At one point, De Falco vowed “I’m going to make sure you get in trouble. …I am going to make you pay for this. Go on board, (expletive)!”
Schettino was finally heard agreeing to reboard on the tape. But the coast guard has said he never went back, and had police arrest him on land.
Schettino recounted his version of events before prosecutors and a judge at a preliminary hearing Tuesday as to whether he should stay jailed, as requested by prosecutors. The judge deferred an immediate decision. The captain could face up to 12 years in prison on the abandoning ship charge alone.
Schettino’s attorney, Bruno Leporatti, said in the hearing, the captain had insisted that after the initial crash into the reefs, he had maneuvered the ship close to shore in a way that “saved hundreds if not thousands of lives.”
Leporatti told Sky TG24 TV and the Italian news agency ANSA Tuesday that a judge turned down prosecutors’ request to keep Capt. Schettino in jail, and a defense bid to set him free. He has been released from jail and placed under house arrest.
This all comes as dramatic new night vision video has been released showing the rescue:
The Miami-based Carnival Corp., which owns the Italian operator, estimated that preliminary losses from having the Concordia out of operation at least through 2012 would be between $85 million and $95 million, along with other costs. The company’s share price slumped more than 16 percent Monday.
It was not yet clear if the ship – which was completed in 2006 – would ever be able to return to service.
Carnival said its deductible on damage to the ship was approximately $30 million. In addition, the company faces a deductible of $10 million for third-party personal injury liability claims.
Carnival said other costs related to the grounding can’t yet be determined.
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Comments (57)
hineni
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 10:36pmRegarding leaving the ship, the coward will probably plead temporary insanity. As far as claiming the shoal was not on the charts, it appears from various navigation enthusiasts that the shoal has appeared on charts since the Roman era.
Report Post »trueblueday
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 8:55pmWould “captains” of other lux cruise ships behave in a similar manner? How do we know? I do believe that these omnipotent sea pilots are all starting to feel very secure in the fact that their vessels are infallible due to the size, construction, and sense of security that their computers and joy sticks keep the boat on course.
Such a rude awakening for an (in?)fallible human being. There should be no “house arrest” for this man. He needs to be in the brink in the hull of a not-so-water-tight ship.
Report Post »azsun
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 8:01pmSo what does the rant about Halliburton have to do with this coward? Are the liberals running up a new thing that Halliburton caused the ship to sink so they can make big money? LOL
The fact is the Captain jumped ship to save his behind and left the women and children to fend for themselves. A real Macho Italian Stud Type. LOL
Report Post »I could see if he was French that would be what he would do, but Italian?
Rickfromillinois
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 7:19pmIn addition to what ever severe punishment that they give him he should be forced to wear a tutu and have his hair dyed pink for the rest of his life.
Report Post »Dano.50
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 6:50pmThe actions of these men (Dude where’s my lifeboat?) comes as no surprise. For several decades now men’ve been raised to not fight, to play nice, and to get in touch with our sensitive side and our feelings and yada yada.
Well congrats.
Now we have a generation of men who haven’t got the guts to protect the women and children, or even think through a dangerous situation because they’re so busy screaming.
For Pete’s sake, look how close the shore was! Women and children should get the lifeboats. The guys can suck it up and swim for shore in their lifejackets.
And yeah I’ve been in peril at sea. Spent several years sailing from Australia to North America on a 45 foot sloop.
It used to be even the scrawniest guys thought “Well I may be in for a hunk of pain here, but if I survive…?
America’s most decorated soldier, Audie Murphy, was rejected by every service for being too small, until the last and look what kind of a hero he became.
If you don‘t think heroes get scared you’re nuts. What a hero does, is overcome his fear to put the welfare of others ahead of his own.
Report Post »Cyanide
Posted on January 18, 2012 at 7:56amDano.50:
Report Post »I couldn’t have said it better myself. I have often wished that it were the “olden days” where the men were men and weren’t whiny brats. This generation is all about suing people for getting a splinter or protesting because they have to sit in the same room as a cross. Give me a break. Man up and get over it. I’m so tired of all this. It seems that no one can do anything for themselves anymore. People used to get up and go to work and do whatever the had to to survive and provide. Now? Now we have people backing begging for handouts. I know it’s nothing new, but it seems a lot more prevelent now. but maybe I’m just crazy…
Mess23
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 6:46pmPeople died as a result of this coward.
Question: If America collapses, is this what we can expect from Obama and his staff?
Report Post »Sonicfd3
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 6:05pmGood job by the Coast Guard. I hope this so called captain hangs. R.I.P those killed.
Report Post »teamarcheson
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 6:18pmItaly no longer has capital punishment as the rest of Europe.
Report Post »teamarcheson
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 6:19pmI have always wanted to take a ocean cruse. It looks like fun.
Report Post »mrsmileyface
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 5:48pmI hope this coward of a captain hangs for this. Or at least is never allowed to pilot a ship boat or canoe for the rest of his miserable life.
Report Post »Kaoscontrol
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 6:40pmLooking at his photo, I keep hearing “Ladies and Gentleman…Mr. Tom Jones!”
Report Post »RightThinking1
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 5:47pmThe captain wasn’t the only sleaze, read this:
Report Post »http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/288253/dude-where-s-my-lifeboat-rich-lowry
Robert-CA
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 5:18pmNow we know why Italy never used their weapons in WWII .
Report Post »Good job by the Coast Guard commander in that tape .
PPMStudios
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 4:43pmCould you imagine if Capt. Chesley Sullenberger would have done that?
The is the difference between a “Hero” and a “Zero”….
Report Post »tckid17
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 4:58pmChesley is a true Captain, the other guy isn’t even a cereal box, he is more of a corn flake.
Report Post »Robert-CA
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 5:14pmHim & his second commander are cowards .
Report Post »RRFlyer
Posted on January 18, 2012 at 1:15amThe abandon ship punishment should be harsher than the manslaughter. He killed people because he was arrogant and stupid by deviating from course, but abandoning his ship was willful and may have caused more people to die than if he had done his duty.
Report Post »He is a coward.
sivarte
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 4:22pmCNN: Breaking – Halliburton has just won the bid for the cleanup and hauling away of the disable vessel. Investions are on the way of possible involvment for former Vice President Dick Cheney.
Report Post »Lord_Frostwind
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 6:54pmReally? REALLY?! CNN cares more about Dick frickin Cheney’s involvement more than the fact that a captain said “to heck with the women and children, I’m out” and left his ship high and dry (metaphorically speaking). I would think it is some kind of joke in bad taste if I didn’t believe it was true.
Report Post »Rickfromillinois
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 7:14pmGee, why would they give the contract to Haliburten? Could it be that they are the best ones for the jobs? By the way, not a fan of Cheney but he had gotten rid of all of his investments in Haliburten when he ran for Vice President, but that doesn’t matter in your little liberal democrat world does it?
Report Post »Dismayed Veteran
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 4:16pmThe duty of a ship’s capitan upon deciding to abandon ship is to see to the safety of the passengers, then the safety of the crew. When all are safe, the capitan is to take the ship’s log and papers and disembark the ship.
I learned this in 1956 as an 8-year old Army dependent on the USNS Partick O’Day as we sailed from Seattle to Yokahoma.
This coward failed in his basic elemental duty to the souls on board.
Report Post »sivarte
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 3:57pmI didn’t know that Paul Reiser had changed careers
Report Post »TEARS FOR AMERICA
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 3:51pmSure isn’t Captain Sully is he?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih5CPeKl-Ds
Report Post »TelepromoterNChief
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 3:48pmSounds like Obama needs to hire this guy.
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 3:43pmEffing coward, the captain goes down with the ship. Didn’t he ever watch any old war movies?
Report Post »schroeder123
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 3:42pmI‘ll not only never cruise Italian but I’ll never cruise again .
Just got back from Alaska cruise ..never again. You are nothing more than a dollar bill for the cruse line.
No More. That’s it. I do my tour of the USA.
Report Post »nobull14
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 3:38pmThis spineless jellyfish will never work as a captain again !!!!! and really gives the Italians something to be ashamed of ? They said he could get 15 years in prison ? .I sure hope its hard labor !!!!
Report Post »Mandors
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 3:34pmDeja vu. This is just what happened with the Andrea Doria. The ship was sinking, and the crew took off in the lifeboats. I would never cruise on an Italian flagged ship.
Report Post »RightThinking1
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 5:57pmAnyone remember the Oceanos? Greek liner that went down. Crew and captain fled, leaving passengers on board. Read particularly the second paragraph here:
Report Post »http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061227070017AADqftI
DD313
Posted on January 18, 2012 at 4:22pmThis isnot exactly deja vu with regards to the 1956 sinking of the Andrea Doria after a collision off Nantucket. Per “Collision Course” by Alvin Moscow,a large number of kitchen staff and stewards did take to lifeboats launched empty from the “low” side of the listing vessel before passengers were sent down the ropes laid across the liner’s hull to the waterline below the lifeboats which could not be launched on the “high” side of the listing vessel. These were not able seamen who had the experience to help passengers. The seamen stayed behind and tried to stem the panic arising among passengers from the realization that there were not enough usable boats to hold everyone. It was two hours before the “Ile de France” arrived on the scene with enough lifeboats to take off the remaining survivors. Engine room personnel stayed below to man pumps and provide electricity until the final order to abandon ship was given by the captain who told his assembled officers that he would stay behind. Only after they refused to leave without him, did he leave more than six hours after the collision. He remained on his lifeboat until a Coast Guard cutter arrived, and watched his ship sink. Not remotely like what happened this week!
Report Post »DagneyT
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 3:30pmI can think of any number of things to do to this coward, none of them printable! This is a direct result of the chickification of men in the age of women’s libbers! May God have mercy on your souls!
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 3:29pmIt was Headwinds,
No, ATM Machines
No, GWB
No, Cheney
No,, Rummy
No, Wascally Weepubwicans
No, the Rich OOPS, wrong Captain
Actually, it was a Holier Than Thou, My crap doesn’t stink, arrogant, Ship Captain, that had to do a Fly-By , Way , Way, WAY out of the channel. When I am sailing , I read charts constantly,, consult the GPS , and visually confirm I am NOT going to run into a hazardous situation unless unforseen problems happen. And Rocks or Reefs don’t just show up.
Report Post »Cook this Hot Dog
Ookspay
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 3:44pmFunny and true!
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 3:22pmHitler allied with Italy because he thought the Italian navy would be an asset. Bad call Adolph.
Report Post »Mandors
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 3:34pmYeah, that and the Eastern Front.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 3:37pmYep Mandors, Stalingrad was the beginning of the end.
Report Post »MsMonsoon
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 3:42pmYou reminded me of two great post WWII jokes:
Report Post »“Glass-bottom boat tours… see the Italian Navy!”
“Used guns for sale… never fired and only dropped once!”
DD313
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 4:27pmDidn’t Lee Harvey Oswald buy one of those once dropped guns?
Report Post »Tomr
Posted on January 18, 2012 at 8:58am“Used guns for sale… never fired and only dropped once!”
This should read
Report Post »“Used French guns for sale… never fired and only dropped once!”
vtxphantom
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 3:21pmThis man is going to get a media anal exam that he does deserve. Coward!
Report Post »conservativeblackman
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 3:21pmHow did this sorry excuse for a man even become captain of a ship?
Report Post »M13
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 3:28pmAsk Encinom, it’s his relative.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 3:46pmIt’s Italy…nough said.
Report Post »Dinkiecb
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 6:14pmHas to be a Obama lover that’s how he got the job…
Report Post »midnightvelvet
Posted on January 19, 2012 at 3:29pmHey, Nicastro is Italian too.
Report Post »