Italian Cruise Ship Disaster

  • Thread starter afbarnes
  • 39 comments
  • 3,640 views
268
United Kingdom
Cambridge
TPDisney
I have just learnt in the news that last night (fri-sat) an Italian Cruise Ship had the abandon ship call sounded. First it was believed that it was just a power fault then it was noticed that the crockery started to slide off the table, the ship ran aground just after midnight GMT +1. Out of the 3000 people on board only 6 have been reported to have died. I have made this thread to make others aware of what has happened and so that myself and others can pay their respects to those that perished in this terrible accident.
 
I haven't read a good article on this yet (just a blurb on Yahoo) but I find it incredible that people would be killed by a ship running aground on a sandbar. How can that happen?
 
BobK
I haven't read a good article on this yet (just a blurb on Yahoo) but I find it incredible that people would be killed by a ship running aground on a sandbar. How can that happen?

I think the boat crashed into some coral of something. I'm not sure though.
My thoughts go out to those families in pain right now, I hope there isn't no more bad news.

EDIT: I was wrong. The boat actually crashed into some rock. Apologise for inaccurate information.
 
Last edited:
Just saw a new news report there were over 4000 people on board and 3 people have been reported to have died while 14 have we injured, it still amazes me how/why a ship of that size was so close to the coast?
 
how/why a ship of that size was so close to the coast?
It seems to be customary for cruise ships to get quite near (~1nm) to the Isola del Giglio to 'say hello' to the residents, as can be read at the following link (in Italian, sorry).
And the news are now reporting that the captain is being held and questioned, against charges of manslaughter and abandoning ship (link).
 
Last edited:
The ones that died where the ones that also jumped overboard when the ship begun to list, instead of getting on to the lifeboats.
 
All that because the kitchen ran out of cannolis?

Seriously though... poor people.
 
The photographs are positively surreal. The boat isn't in the middle of the Atlantic - it's a stone's throw from an idyllic Italian island. Looking at the photographs it doesn't seem likely that the water is deep enough for the boat to have actually sunk. However, the angle of list is so severe that climbing to a safe section of the boat might have been almost impossible.
 
.....However, the angle of list is so severe that climbing to a safe section of the boat might have been almost impossible.

Yes, the ship eventually listed at an angle that was too extreme to launch the last of the life boats.

Eventually, many just had to jump into the water.

I also understand that a few were trapped below decks and no doubt were trapped by the water that flooded into the ship. Some passengers are still missing.

Poor navigational skills on the part of the crew, I'm afraid.

Very sad
 
More news from last night:

From what I gather, the cruise liner's captain (Francesco Schettino) is under intense investigation.

I understand that there is a taped recording between the ship's captain and the island's harbor master. During the conversation, the harbor master asks the ship's captain about the cruise liner's passengers and asks if any are in danger, and the ship's captain says that there are some 200-300 passengers still onboard that can't easily get off.

The harbor master asks the captain if he's on the ship helping with the evacuation, and the captain says no, he's left the ship. The harbor master orders the captain to go back to the cruise liner and help with the evacuation and the captain refuses!!!! WTF!

This captain's behavior is just terrrible. I can see a quick end to his career.

GTsail
 
Found (the english version of ) the transcript of the conversation between Capt. Francesco Schettino, commander of the grounded Costa Concordia, and Capt. Gregorio De Falco of the Italian coast guard in Livorno. It's everywhere, in Portugal with the expletive included.

The audio was first made available on the website of Corriere della Sera, and the Italian coast guard confirmed its authenticity Tuesday to The Associated Press.


—De Falco: "This is De Falco speaking from Livorno. Am I speaking with the commander?"
—Schettino: "Yes. Good evening, Cmdr. De Falco."
—De Falco: "Please tell me your name."
—Schettino: "I'm Cmdr. Schettino, commander"
—De Falco: "Schettino? Listen Schettino. There are people trapped on board. Now you go with your boat under the prow on the starboard side. There is a pilot ladder. You will climb that ladder and go on board. You go on board and then you will tell me how many people there are. Is that clear? I'm recording this conversation, Cmdr. Schettino..."
—Schettino: "Commander, let me tell you one thing..."
—De Falco: "Speak up! Put your hand in front of the microphone and speak more loudly, is that clear?"
—Schettino: "In this moment, the boat is tipping..."
—De Falco: "I understand that, listen, there are people that are coming down the pilot ladder of the prow. You go up that pilot ladder, get on that ship and tell me how many people are still on board. And what they need. Is that clear? You need to tell me if there are children, women or people in need of assistance. And tell me the exact number of each of these categories. Is that clear? Listen Schettino, that you saved yourself from the sea, but I am going to...really do something bad to you...I am going to make you pay for this. Go on board, (expletive)!" *
—Schettino: "Commander, please..."
—De Falco: "No, please. You now get up and go on board. They are telling me that on board there are still..."
—Schettino: "I am here with the rescue boats, I am here, I am not going anywhere, I am here..."
—De Falco: "What are you doing, commander?"
—Schettino: "I am here to coordinate the rescue..."
—De Falco: "What are you coordinating there? Go on board! Coordinate the rescue from aboard the ship. Are you refusing?"
—Schettino: "No, I am not refusing."
—De Falco: "Are you refusing to go aboard commander? Can you tell me the reason why you are not going?"
—Schettino: "I am not going because the other lifeboat is stopped."
—De Falco: "You go aboard. It is an order. Don't make any more excuses. You have declared 'abandon ship.' Now I am in charge. You go on board! Is that clear? Do you hear me? Go, and call me when you are aboard. My air rescue crew is there."
—Schettino: "Where are your rescuers?"
—De Falco: "My air rescue is on the prow. Go. There are already bodies, Schettino."
—Schettino: "How many bodies are there?"
—De Falco: "I don't know. I have heard of one. You are the one who has to tell me how many there are. Christ."
—Schettino: "But do you realize it is dark and here we can't see anything..."
—De Falco: "And so what? You want 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!"
—Schettino: "...I am with my second in command."
—De Falco: "So both of you go up then ... You and your second go on board now. Is that clear?"
—Schettino: "Commander, I want to go on board, but it is simply that the other boat here ... there are other rescuers. It has stopped and is waiting..."
—De Falco: "It has been an hour that you have been telling me the same thing. Now, go on board. Go on board! And then tell me immediately how many people there are there."
—Schettino: "OK, commander"
—De Falco: "Go, immediately!"


*expletive could be educatedly translated to English as "you pile of feces".
 
It's interesting how this should happen now, given that 2012 will mark the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's sinking. There is a message in there, not be lost among the other aspects of the current situation, I think.

I hope they find the remaining missing persons to be alive. It must be so hard on the families of the dead - my condolences to them.
 
Just to add there are now over 20 bodies found... The enterprise of the ship is Costa and the name of it is Concordia. I done two trips with Costa (2010 in the Magica and 2011 in the Serena) and none of this happened.. Quite sad to see this happening to an enterprise I trust.. And sorry for my language, but the Captain is an 🤬!
 
Found (the english version of ) the transcript of the conversation between Capt. Francesco Schettino, commander of the grounded Costa Concordia, and Capt. Gregorio De Falco of the Italian coast guard in Livorno. It's everywhere, in Portugal with the expletive included.
[/I]

Thanks Hun200kmh for finding this translation:tup:

What an amazing conversation!!!

What a useless captain!!!


Its my understanding of US Naval Regulations that a ship's commanding officer should remain with his ship and direct its evacuation and is charged with the responsibility of protecting any survivors, and should be the last to leave. This is also true of US Coast Guard Regulations.

Respectfully,
GTsail
 
GTsail290
What a useless captain!!!

GTsail

I'd say he's a gutless worthless piece of crap if the reports are correct, especially considering it was showboating (pardon the pun) on the crews behalf that caused this tragedy.

Condolences to the families who have lost someone.

Cheers Shaun.
 
Its my understanding of US Naval Regulations that a ship's commanding officer should remain with his ship and direct its evacuation and is charged with the responsibility of protecting any survivors, and should be the last to leave. This is also true of US Coast Guard Regulations.

It's true also under the Italian Naval Regulations. In particular, article 303 says (roughly translated):
Art. 303 - Abbandono della nave in pericolo

Il comandante non può ordinare l’abbandono della nave in pericolo se non dopo esperimento senza risultato dei mezzi suggeriti dall’arte nautica per salvarla, sentito il parere degli ufficiali di coperta o, in mancanza, di due almeno fra i più provetti componenti dell’equipaggio.

Il comandante deve abbandonare la nave per ultimo, provvedendo in quanto possibile a salvare le carte e i libri di bordo, e gli oggetti di valore affidati alla sua custodia.

The captain can not order to abandon ship, unless having unsuccesfully tried to save it by any means suggested by seamanship and having heard the opinions of the deck officiers or, in their absence, of at least two among the most experienced members of the crew.

The captain has to be the last to abandon the ship, trying to do his utmost to save the ship's charts and books, and all the valuables put in his keeping.
 
View of the wreck from space...

_57967234_highres_dg.jpg


The ships captain just declared that he has fallen into the lifeboat. :lol:

Yeah, just like those guys who claim they 'fell' on a girl in a nightclub :rolleyes:
 
The ships captain just declared that he has fallen into the lifeboat. :lol:

Like all of his first officers. Surly a coincidence.

The crew (those who flew, so all the responsible as it seems,( the wraiters and etc saved the passagers)) and the captain are cowards.

That for me is worse than the sinking of the ship.

I was 5 times with costa on cruise ships, so this is kind of worring that the crew would just let you rot on the ship while they save themselves.

For those interested, you can google "Oceanos 1991", same story, crew abondonned the ship , while the entertainement crew save all the passangers.

Those captains should do a season on discovery's channel Deadliest Catch. they will piss their pants
 
Italian prosecutors have called for a sentence of 26 years against the captain of the ship, Francesco Schettino.
 
Back