Sixth Body Pulled From Cruise Ship Wreckage As Company Blames ‘Human Error’
- Posted on January 16, 2012 at 8:00am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
- Print »
- Email »
ROME (AP) — The captain of the cruise ship that capsized off Tuscany made an unauthorized deviation from its programmed course, a “human error” that led to the vessel’s deadly grounding, the ship’s Italian owner said Monday. Rescue operations, meanwhile, were halted as the wreckage slightly shifted.
The comments from Costa Crociere chairman and CEO Pier Luigi Foschi ramped up the pressure on the captain, who already is under investigation by authorities for suspected manslaughter and as well as allegations he abandoned ship before the passengers were safe, violating the Italian navigation code.
Six bodies have been recovered so far from the wreckage of the Costa Concordia, which ran into a reef Friday night and capsized into the port area of Giglio, sparking a frantic evacuation of the 4,200 people onboard.
The rescue operation was called off mid-afternoon Monday after the Costa Concordia shifted a few inches (centimeters) in rough seas. The fear is that if the ship shifts significantly, some 500,000 gallons of fuel may begin to leak into the pristine waters around the island of Giglio.
Fire department spokesman Luca Cari said the ship had shifted a few centimeters vertically and horizontally Monday because of the turbulent waters. He said an underwater search for 16 people still missing was put on hold.
Foschi said his company, which is owned by the world’s largest cruiseline, Carnival Corp., stood by the captain, Francesco Schettino, and would provide him with legal assistance. But he said the company disassociated itself from his behavior.
Costa ships have their routes programmed, and alarms go off when they deviate, the chief executive said in a press conference.
“This route was put in correctly. The fact that it left from this course is due solely to a maneuver by the commander that was unapproved, unauthorized and unknown to Costa,” he said.
Schettino has insisted he didn’t leave the liner early, telling Mediaset television that he had done everything he could to save lives.
“We were the last ones to leave the ship,” he said.
Foschi said the liner had passed all safety and technical tests in its 2011 evaluation. He added that the company’s main concern was the safety and well-being of the passengers and crew, as well as to ensure fuel doesn’t leak out from the upended hull into the water.
The 500,000 gallons of fuel onboard are in 17 separate tanks, Foschi said. Sensors have been put in place to track the movements of the ship.
Questions have been swirling about why the ship had navigated so close to the dangerous reefs and rocks that jut off Giglio’s eastern coast, amid suspicions the captain may have ventured too close while carrying out a maneuver to entertain tourists on the island.
Residents of Giglio said they had never seen the Costa come so close to the dangerous “Le Scole” reef area.
Comments (11)
Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In
Popular Stories
Paper Details Obama Admin’s Alleged Secret Note Sent to Iran: If Israel Attacks, We Won’t Get Involved 585 Comments
‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 413 Comments
This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 412 Comments
Roseanne Barr: Most Billionaires ‘Violent Pedophiles’ & ‘Heartless’ Cocaine Addicts 374 Comments
President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 368 Comments
Faith
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 412 Comments
Pakistani Muslim Cleric Accused of Framing Disabled Christian Girl in Koran-Burning Case Read More- ‘Made Up Religion’: TV Historian Enrages Muslims, Receives Threats After Producing UK Documentary Questioning Islam’s Beginnings 413 Comments
Meet the Controversial German Imam Accused of Brutally Beating His Wife & Pushing Sharia Law Read More
‘Self-Proclaimed Messiah’ & Unification Church Leader the Rev. Sun Myung Moon Has Died — Here’s His Life Story Read More
Business
- President Obama Issues Major ‘Green Energy’ Executive Order 368 Comments
- Germany’s Upcoming Court Ruling Will be Huge for the EU Read More
Ford Looks to Beat Toyota for Best-Selling Car in 2012 With This Model 151 Comments
Bernanke & QE3: Here’s What You Need to Know Read More- ‘Extortion’: Why Did the Labor Department ‘Drop the Hammer’ on Oregon Farmers? 303 Comments
Technology
- This Is the Creationists‘ Response to Scientist Bill Nye’s Viral Pro-Evolution Video Claiming They Harm Children 412 Comments
‘TaserDrone’: Hackers Weaponize Quadcopter With Actual ‘Shocking’ Technology Read More
Ever Heard of the Wild ‘Burning Man’ Festival in the Middle of the Nev. Desert? Here’s Your Primer Read More
Stanford Develops Technology ‘Better Than Steroids’ for Athlete Recovery Read More
Have You Pretended to Know What ‘the Cloud’ Is? You’re Not Alone Read More
Submitting your tip... please wait!
rdk
Posted on January 17, 2012 at 1:59pmThese “love boats” must be awfully fragile. I think it best to stay off them.
Report Post »momTEXAS
Posted on January 16, 2012 at 10:06pmThey called off rescue efforts mid-day on Monday because the pristine water might get dirty? OR they called it off because the ship shifting may put rescuers in danger? That is disturbing if the pristine ocean is being placed above human life. A gas spill would be horrible to the ocean, local fishermen etc…but the loss of human life is so much worse. The cruise line would be financially responsible for a fuel spill. I hope efforts were not called off due to that!
Report Post »Old Navy Squid
Posted on January 16, 2012 at 8:37pmI have been on several cruises and one thing in common is deck furniture. How come there is no evidence of a debris field? Makes this whole thing look a little suspicious.
Check the company’s financials ….
Conspiracy theorists unite (tongue in cheek)
Report Post »Carefreeflyer
Posted on January 16, 2012 at 8:27pmAt this time of night, the captain would probably not be on the operations deck at that time. The Staff Captain or First Officer was probably at the watch at that time. The Captain is always at the helm when arriving or departing a port.
Report Post »Yorktown1781
Posted on January 16, 2012 at 8:10pmI am a naval architect and have cruised a number of times. A universal legal treaty requirement (Safety of Life at Sea, SOLAS) is for a lifeboat drill for ALL HANDS before the ship moves from the dock. Every drill before a trip this past November required us to be at our lifeboat station with life jackets. We didn’t have to have life jackets the last time, possibly indicating some recent requirement change, but putting the drill off until the next day???!!!!. Criminal!
Let me also address the apparent “sudden” capsizing. The visible damage clearly indicates flooding in three compartments. They could have survived two and likely remained non-catastrophically heeled somewhat due to loss of apparent water-plane area, the “free surface” effect. The water taken on reduces creates a “free surface” effect that can cause a sudden loss of upright stability exacerbated by water sloshing to the “low” side. The ship can assume stability in a heeled condition up to a point, but launching lifeboats in such a condition may become impossible. Most (non-tanker) ships have no watertight longitudinal bulkheads so as to prevent non-symmetrical flooding and the resulting heeling. With three compartments breached, the ship was eventually doomed from loss of buoyancy.
Report Post »Jackie Rogers, Jr.
Posted on January 16, 2012 at 4:07pmGiglio Island. Ancestral home of Glenn Quagmire.
Report Post »muggl3z
Posted on January 16, 2012 at 1:28pmCan you guys imagine the ‘sinking’ feeling (pun intended) that Captain got when he ran it aground. I bet all color drained from his face.
Report Post »AmazingGrace8
Posted on January 16, 2012 at 11:58amThe captain doing a dangerous manuver to impress tourists on the island…..a grown-man doing what some men do to BE A BIG SEXUAL POWER IDOL. Most men outgrow teenager-impress-the-girl-stunt-moves and his spur-of-the-moment dumb act to impress, possibly women, on the island, has deadly consequences.
Report Post »Cabo King
Posted on January 16, 2012 at 10:02amWhats a matta you
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on January 16, 2012 at 9:19amThe Captains name was … Giovanni… Which translated to English means….. Gilligan !!!
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on January 16, 2012 at 9:42am…a three hour tour…a three hour tour…
Report Post »