Third Survivor Pulled From Wrecked Cruise Ship, Captain Under Investigation for Manslaughter
- Posted on January 15, 2012 at 8:36am by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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A South Korean passenger, center, walks with Italian firefighters Sunday after being rescued from the luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia which ran aground the tiny Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
GIGLIO, Italy (AP) — Coast guard divers searching the submerged part of the Costa Concordia on Sunday found the bodies of two elderly men still in their life jackets, authorities said, raising to five the death toll after the luxury cruise liner ran aground and tipped over off the Tuscan coast.
Divers scouring the bowels of the ship in the murky, cold sea discovered the bodies at the emergency gathering point near the restaurant where passengers were dining when the ship carrying more than 4,200 people hit a reef or rock near the island of Giglio, Coast Guard Cmdr. Cosimo Nicastro said.
The discovery reduced to 15 the number of people still unaccounted for after an Italian who worked in cabin service was pulled from the wreckage Sunday and a South Korean couple on their honeymoon were rescued late Saturday in the unsubmerged part of the liner when a team of rescuers heard their screams.
“We are still searching” for any bodies, “but (also) in the hope that there might have been an air pocket” to allow the survival of others, Nicastro told Sky TG24 TV dockside.
Authorities are holding the Italian captain for investigation of suspected manslaughter and abandoning his ship among other possible charges. According to the Italian navigation code, a captain who abandons a ship in danger can face up to 12 years in prison. A coast guard official said Sunday officers exhorted Francesco Schettino to return to his ship as panicked passengers desperately fled the cruise liner.
The chaotic evacuation has added to the difficulty in tracking down survivors – with six of those unaccounted for crew members and the others passengers. Two of the unaccounted for passengers are American, the U.S. Embassy in Rome said.
In the first hours after the accident late Friday night, three bodies were found in the waters near the ship. The victims discovered Sunday were two elderly men who were wearing life vests, said Coast Guard Cmdr. Francesco Paolillo.
Italian firefighters' scuba divers approach the luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia which ran aground off the tiny Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
“The divers had to remove the life vests to get the bodies out,” he said, because they could have floated away. Their nationalities were not immediately released.
The divers’ search through the ship, which is lying on its side with a huge gash, was already dangerous because of the risk the vessel could suddenly move and sink into waters over a nearby lower sea bed.
Their safety was increasingly threatened by floating objects in the belly of the 290-meter (nearly 1,000) foot long liner, as well as muck drastically reducing visibility, Nicastro said.
“There are tents, mattresses, other objects moving which can get tangled in the divers’ equipment,” Nicastro said. Officials were going to huddle soon to see how long the underwater search could safely continue, he said.
Divers say they are using a kind of long cord they hook near the point of entrance and unroll as they work, so they can find their way out when finished.
Prosecutor Francesco Verusio confirmed reports that prosecutors are investigating allegations the cruise liner’s captain, Francesco Schettino, abandoned the stricken liner before all the passengers had escaped.
Asked Sunday by Sky TG24 about the accusations, Grosseto prosecutor Francesco Verusio replied, “unfortunately, I must confirm that circumstance.”
Paolillo said the captain was spotted on land during the evacuation. Officers had urged him to return to his ship and honor his duty to stay aboard until everyone else was safely off the vessel, but Schettino ignored them, he said.
“We did our duty,” Paolillo told The Associated Press.
A French couple who boarded the Concordia in Marseille, Ophelie Gondelle and David Du Pays of Marseille, told the AP they saw the captain in a lifeboat, covered by a blanket, well before all the passengers were off the ship. They insisted on telling a reporter what they saw, so incensed that – according to them – the captain had abandoned the ship before everyone had been evacuated.
“The commander left before and was on the dock before everyone was off,” said Gondelle, 28, a French military officer.
“Normally the commander should leave at the end,” said Du Pays, a police officer who said he helped an injured passenger to a rescue boat. “I did what I could.”
The luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia leans on the rocks after running aground the tiny Tuscan island of Giglio, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
Schettino has said the ship hit rocks that weren’t marked on his nautical charts, and that he did all he could to save lives.
“We were navigating approximately 300 meters (yards) from the rocks,” he told Mediaset television. “There shouldn’t have been such a rock.”
He insisted he didn’t leave the liner before all passengers were off, saying “we were the last ones to leave the ship.” That clearly wasn’t the case as the finding of the three survivors aboard Saturday night and Sunday showed.
Coast guard spokesman Capt. Filippo Marini told Sky Italia TV that Coast Guard divers have recovered the so-called “black box” with the recording of the navigational details from a compartment now under water.
A Dutch firm has been called in to help extract the fuel from the Concordia‘s tanks before any leaks into the area’s pristine waters. No leaks have so far been reported.
While ship owner Costa has insisted it was following the same route it takes every week between the Italian ports of Civitavecchia and Savona, residents on the island of Giglio said they had never seen the Costa come so close to the Le Scole reefs and rocks that jut from Giglio’s eastern side.
“This was too close, too close,” said Italo Arienti, a 54-year-old sailor who has worked on the Maregigilo ferry service that runs between the island and the mainland for more than a decade. A now-retired Costa commander used to occasionally do “fly-bys” on the route, nearing a bit and sounding the siren in a special salute for his hometown, he said. Such a fly-by was staged last August, but there was no incident, he said.
He said the cruise ship always stayed more than five to six nautical miles offshore, well beyond the reach of the “Le Scole” reefs, popular with scuba divers.
The terrifying escape from the luxury liner, which was on a weeklong Mediterranean cruise, was straight out of a scene from “Titanic.” Many passengers complained the crew didn’t give them good directions on how to evacuate and once the emergency became clear, delayed lowering the lifeboats until the ship was listing too heavily for many to be released.
Several other passengers said crew members told passengers for 45 minutes that there was a simple “technical problem” that had caused the lights to go off.
Amateur footage taken aboard the ship showed the situation immediately after it ran aground, as an announcement in various languages tells passengers the liner is having electrical problems and “the situation is under control.” When a man asks a crew member in Spanish why he is wearing a life vest, the crew member doesn’t answer and continues on his way.
Other video shows people crowded together in life jackets, apparently calm and waiting to disembark the ship. A third video taken from a lifeboat, shows mostly darkness as people shout and scream in panic.
Passengers said they had never participated in an evacuation drill, although one had been scheduled for Saturday. The cruise began on Jan. 7.
Costa Crociera SpA, which is owned by the U.S.-based cruise giant Carnival Corp., defended the actions of its crew and said it was cooperating with the investigation. Carnival Corp. issued a statement expressing sympathy that didn’t address the allegations of delayed evacuation.
Some 300 of the crew members were Filipinos and three of them were injured, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said.
The captain has insisted that the reef was not marked, but locals said the stretch of sea is not difficult to maneuver. Anello Fiorentino, captain of a ferry that runs between Giglio and the mainland, said he makes the crossing every day without encountering problems.
“Yes, if you get near the coast there are reefs, but this is a stretch of sea where all the ships can safely pass,” he said.
Islanders on Giglio opened up their homes and businesses to accommodate the sudden rush of survivors. Rossana Bafigi, who runs a newsstand, said she was really moved by the reaction of the passengers.
She showed a note left by one Italian family that said, “We want to repay you for the disturbance. Please call us, we took milk and biscuits for the children. Claudia.”
At Mass on Sunday morning in Giglio’s main church, which opened its doors to the evacuees Friday night, altar boys and girls brought up to the altar a life vest, a rope, a rescue helmet, a plastic tarp and some bread.
Don Lorenzo, the parish priest, told the faithful that he wanted to make this admittedly “different” offering to God as a memory of what had transpired.
He said each one carried powerful symbolic meaning for what happened on Friday night: the bread that multiplied to feed the survivors, the rope that pulled people to safety, the life vest and helmet that protected them, and the plastic tarp that kept cold bodies warm. “Our community, our island will never be the same,” he told the few dozen islanders gathered for Mass.
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Comments (59)
thegreatcarnac
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 6:44pmBut all of you fail to understand that the captain had to get to shore because he can survey the whole problem from there and take command on the docks with a two-way radio without the little problem of seawater floating around his knees………….(sarcasm).
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 10:27pmHe was show boating his BOAT with 4000 passengers unaware of his prideful moment to entertain the people in the Island he ran aground on. Dumb and Dumber. This boat’s navigation is a serious matter as I can attest to being a former Officer of the Day on a real Navy ship of War. Every precaution must be taken and no uneccessary risks for play can be indulged.
Report Post »DADDYWOREAWHITEHAT
Posted on January 16, 2012 at 12:39amNoooooon….the captain has the responsibility for everyone’s life at sea. He has a crew & they may screw up but he is responsible for supervising them so he must be watchful at all times. People have put their lives in in his hands.
Report Post »cranberry
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 6:15pmSounds like someone will be working at the Italian version of Burger King or working as a janitor…
Report Post »Jack007
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 5:48pmAP reported when the Italian ship hit the rocks it make a load *** sound!
Report Post »Joyzee
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 5:32pmthis boat feels a little tipsey*…..bbbuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrppp..!!
Report Post »Ken2
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 4:11pmI read where soem female dancers from Great Britain were the last of the crew to leave the ship via helicopter, while the male Italian Captain was ashore. Kind of reminds me of the Euro in microcosm.
Report Post »SilentReader
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 3:55pmIt seems that this Captain has no shame. Unbelievable cowardice on his part!
Report Post »eric2waters
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 3:43pmThe captain’s behavior surprises me. You usually see this “fleeing in the face of danger” behavior only in French, not Italian, captains.
Report Post »TeaBill
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 1:48pmLOOK!
Just look at those who left Congress after the bailouts. The author, Rep. Dave Obey, jumped the burning ship after contributing to setting the fire.
How is it any different to have the Captain watching the ship sink from shore?
One person, who we all are aware of is not even close to similar to the reality examples above. Ron Paul would not allow this sort of event to happen.
All the other candidates resemble the ship captain or those who set it on fire. They would all be on shore watching the drama.
Ron Paul knows how to right a sinking ship!
Report Post »stinkboater
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 2:03pmAnyone else getting tired of the Ron Paul fanatic posts?
Report Post »Ken2
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 3:36pmWOW! Is there ANYTHING Ron Paul can’t do? Maybe if he went to Italy he could swim down and tip that sucker upright.
Report Post »Really guy/gal, this stuff is getting old. You Paulaholics are starting to wear out your welcome. How you can IMMEDIATELY turn a disaster in which lives were lost into a Ron Paul metaphor is just a little OCD, don’t you think?
OK; release the hounds.
Shasta
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 4:16pmKen2, is there any article that the Paulies can’t turn into being about Paul? Yes stinkboater, I am sick of it too. It is not as much it being about Paul that has ended his chance to be the nominee, but his supporters, the Paulies.
Report Post »capnbrit
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 4:23pmI have to wonder if you are actually trolls trying to make the RP followers look bad or are you really that thick? If you really are Ron Paul followers, you need to chill out a bit. I know people that are so sick of the rhetoric and fanaticism that they won’t even consider looking at him as a possibility. So, if it really your intention to win votes, its not working.
Report Post »bolivar
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 5:11pmI know all about the nutty uncle comments and so forth but, has anybody realized yet that Ron Paul is old – I mean REAL old. 76 is not a spring chicken and he dodders and stumbles all over the place. He is older than Reagan was when he started and Ronald Reagan could mop the floor with this old coot any day of the week. Just my 2 cents.
As for this tragedy, the Captain will likely go to prison and Carnival PLC the owner of Costa will pay very dearly for this Italians lack of judgement. From all indications he was way off course and trying to negotiate between rocks he had no business being anywhere around. It is HIS responsibility and he blew it big time. Just hope they do a better job on his trial than they did on Foxy Knoxy.
Report Post »JJ Coolay
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 6:02pmStinkboater… YES.
Report Post »Capn…. I think they REALLY are that way. I don’t think those are trolls. They really are RonBots.
JJ Coolay
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 6:05pmHow is it any different to have the Captain watching the ship sink from shore?
______________
Well for one thing, those are REAL people drowning on that ship under the surface.
Report Post »MinorityRightsAdvocate
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 6:38pmTEABILL, you were making a decent point, until you came out as a Paulbot.
Report Post »You see some of what Paul talks about needs to be said, but he discredits his cause as do you when failing to realize there is real evil in this world in places like Iran.
Ironically it helps make anyone questioning the FED appear kooky as well, actually helping the fed.
Others said it, such blind following of RP is not helping his cause at all, and it is not much different than Obama zombies that thought he could lower the ocean level.
In reality there is one who can help, only one. That is God, so start praying, RP is not going to save you.
Dismayed Veteran
Posted on January 16, 2012 at 11:50amTeaBill
Give it a rest. Ron Paul is only a human. He can’t prevent disasters from happening. I swear that I will vote for Paul until I read foolish postings like this.
Report Post »stinkboater
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 1:35pmCosta ‘showboating’ may have caused Italy disaster
http://www.emirates247.com/news/world/costa-showboating-may-have-caused-italy-disaster-2012-01-15-1.437735
“A risky practice by cruise ships of close-passing the island of Giglio in a foghorn-blasting salute to the local population appears to have contributed to the Costa Concordia disaster, officials and witnesses said on Sunday.”
“Adding weight to the theory, the daily La Stampa on Sunday published a letter dated last August in which Giglio‘s mayor Sergio Ortelli thanked the Concordia’s captain for the ‘incredible spectacle’ of a previous close pass.”
oops
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 2:29pmWonder if the Mayor is going to give Capt. Schettino a kudos for the stimulus to his economy?? SBoater, great links and am wondering if this dope tried to thread the needle in that passage between the reefs. I sail out of New London,CT and see Fast Attack Subs all the time.
Report Post »Fair Winds
Becolby
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 11:32pmIf you read the article carefully, a close pass is 1.8 Km not 300 meters! That is one sixth the minimum distance. Believe me, if a 1000 foot long ship passes the island at night, lite up, at a distance of just under 2 clicks, it would be quite a spectacle. 300 meters would be shocking and downright scary, for obvious reasons.
Report Post »I hope they fry this captain. There is NO excuse for his extreme lack of judgement that caused loss of life, or his extreme act of cowardice by leaving as soon as possible. Sounds a lot like the captain and crew of the Oceanos in 1991.
The-Monk
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 12:48pmWas the Captain from France? That would explain a lot : )
Report Post »BruceB
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 12:34pmHe’s probably wishing now he could abandon his sinking carrear right about now.
Report Post »Dotado
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 12:31pmAs Captain, he is responsible for everything that happens on that ship, that’s why they pay him the big bucks. There may not be a law about going down with the ship but how it happened was his responsibility and the moral thing to do would have been to do everything possible to help the passengers and crew, not make sure your own a** was warm and dry! You can’t do that from the dock! What a sorry excuse for a commander.
Report Post »JJ Coolay
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 6:09pmI believe accoring to maritime law, the captain is supposed to go down with the ship or be the last one off it.
Report Post »skipmontesjr
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 12:25pmADNIL…Great post..I agree..
Report Post »stinkboater
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 12:09pmA ship on a north-west course ends up aground pointed south?
A couple interesting posts for those who like charts:
Report Post »http://gcaptain.com/cruise-ship-costa-concordia-sinks/?37456
http://blog.geogarage.com/
ChevalierdeJohnstone
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 3:20pmThanks for posting the charts. Definitely looks like the ship deliberately changed course and headed towards the island reef.
Report Post »G.W. Dobbs
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 10:26pmThe Captain was following orders: destroy American Capitalism, the Cruise Line; well, they are now DESTROYED as the Aiiorneys are standing in line to SUE the line into bankruptcy. The question is, who gave the order to wreck the ship? Or was the whole crew intoxicated?
Report Post »Moe1138
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 11:02amI joked on a blog that I hoped the crew got off the ship first, noting the the Oceanos sunk off the coast of North Africa where the crew got off the ship before any of the passengers did. Well, Well, look what has happened…maybe not first but certainly not last.
Report Post »Ah, Europeans, gotta love ‘em.
NOT A CRAZY
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 11:56amIf you watch one of the newscast interviews of a staff member he is talking about all this great work they did to rescue people and get everyone off of the ship. But later in the interview he talks about being on a lifeboat and looking back at the ship and seeing all of the people still on the boat and that he could see people swimming out from the boat.
Report Post »ncgrammie4
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 4:39pmI was on a Mediterranean cruise that went along this course and we were never that close to any of those islands. Didn’t have any crew fluent in english, mostly Filipino, Indian, or Korean. I’m pretty sure it was every man for himself time.
Report Post »gingerbread
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 11:01amIf this wasn’t so tragic, it would be funnier than hell. Now let’s compare this ship to our “SHIP OF STATE”, shall we? Every body is blaming the captain of this ship, for running it in the ground. Now, who will we blame if the “CAPTAIN” of our “SHIP OF STATE” runs the “SHIP” in the ground? Do we blame the “CAPTAIN”? Or do we blame the politicians (CREW MEMBERS)? Or do we blame both?
Report Post »NOT A CRAZY
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 11:57amThe only problem is that our current “captain” is intentionally running our ship into the reef.
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 1:18pmBarry’s HEADWINDS,, have now become a ROCK (that isn’t marked on the charts)
Report Post »ADNIL
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 10:32amCould be a metaphor of what is happening to our country. On its side, taking on water, while we are being lied to. I’m sure our captain will leave before it sinks, too, not caring how many of us go down. Intention or incompetence? The result is the same.
Report Post »LouisianaPatriot
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 10:49amExcellent analogy Adnil. Thanks for posting it.
Report Post »Buck Shane
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 10:52amThe Reporter said, “They struck Iraq.” This is outrageous. Why doesn’t Iraq threaten one of it neighbors instead of sinking a ship. Don’t they realize what a mess this will be to clean up? ;-)
Report Post »NeoKong
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 10:32amWhat a weasel. People were so scared they were jumping in the water and he probably didn’t even get his shoes wet. He was safe and sound on shore while there were still passengers aboard. Put him in jail.
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 10:22amAHHHH I agree…how does this happen with ALL the high tech equipment on ships today? Freaks me out, since we are going on a FAMILY vacation February 24 out of Miami on a Carnival Cruise. I have been many times and I never thought anything like THIS could happen! I will be very aware of escape routes now. :( bummer….
Report Post »nobull14
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 10:18amThe Captain does not to have to go down with the ship ? But by code to be about the last man off the ship ? this coward got off the ship before a 1\3 of the passengers were in the boats or swimming in the cold water to shore !!!! This roman pasta eater needs to be keel hauled !!!!!
Report Post »kapnkd
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 10:00amSome Captain!! …Reminds me of a so-called leader here in the states I call Obozocommie!!!
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 9:36amArrr…Shiver me timbers..the human barnacle of a Captain should have to walk the plank.
Report Post »mrsalvage2
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 2:11pmAye! He’s a Scury Dog!
Arrrrrrrg!
Report Post »Charles
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 9:32amApparently the captain was incompetent and arrogant enough to think it was beneath him to stick around until everyone was off. He is a product of the “Self – Esteem” movement.
Report Post »Just don’t forget that the cruise line industry put this guy in his position. Cruises are something I never understood the popularity of. Its like a giant floating feeding and drinking trough.
RightPolitically
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 9:19amJust as with the Titanic sinking, lots of bad decisions proceeded the final event. That Captain’s in trouble. And Carnival Cruise Lines, as primary owner of this ship, will take the brunt of criticism and law suits filed. It ain’t gonna be pretty!
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 9:28amA Capyain going down with his ship is not a law…You cannot expect a man to commit suicide by drowning. But I am sure he will wish he had of gone down with it…His a@@ is grass and they will be the lawnmower….I would not want to be in his shoes. I am sure he will not see the light of day for a very long time.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 9:17amAmazing, that this happened in this day and age of GPS, sonar, mapping and communications…. And as far as the Captain abandoning the ship…. Did’nt that happen a couple years ago on that Greek cruiseliner ? It seems the old rules of the sea no longer apply… This Captain’s life is ruined… Period….
Report Post »AJAYW
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 9:42amTo heck with the Captain’s life being ruined- he was negligent in his duties that cost people their lives. No one wants to be held accountable for their actions or hold others accountable
Report Post »kapnkd
Posted on January 15, 2012 at 10:05amBefore it is all over, he will wish that he had “gone down with the ship”!! “Keel Hauling” is even too good for this coward! …Any bets he’s a liberal as well?!?!
Report Post »