This must have been a ‘shock’ for skipper of the sinking luxury cruise liner Costa Concordia. Captain Schettini claimed, he was helping the passengers of the sinking ship to flee, when he fell into a lifeboat. Odd enough, the ship’s second officer in command from Greece and the ship’s third officer in command from Italy happened to have fallen (?) into the lifeboat as well…
Corriere della Sera had a slightly different version, saying that he claimed to have been propelled into a lifeboat while helping passengers to flee.
“I had no intention of running away,” Captain Schettino said.
Unexplained, however, was the remarkable coincidence of both Dimitri Christidis, the ship’s second officer, and Silvia Coronia, the No 3, being on the same lifeboat.
Investigators are busy piecing together events using the ship’s black box and the testimony of survivors.
Under scrutiny are a series of phone calls between Captain Schettino and Roberto Ferrarini, marine operations director of the ship’s owner, Costa Cruises.
The men spoke three times between 9.42pm, when the liner hit the rocks, and 10.58pm, when the captain belatedly gave the order to abandon ship. (Read Full Story HERE)
Costa Concordia, the cruise ship with 4,200 people on board capsized last Friday off Italy’s shore. At least 11 people were killed, there are still 2o people missing. The search for survivors has been halted today.
The first dead victim to be identified was a 38-year-old Hungarian violinist, Sandor Feher.
The captain is under house arrest on suspicion of multiple manslaughter. Prosecutors have also accused him of fleeing the ship before evacuation was complete.
A recording of a call between him and a port official after the crash appears to support this, though Capt Schettino denies the claims.
In the recording, released by the Corriere della Sera newspaper, Livorno Port Authority chief Gregorio De Falco can be heard repeatedly telling the captain to get back on board to help passengers.
“Schettino, maybe you saved yourself from the sea, but I’ll make you have trouble for sure. Go aboard,” says Mr De Falco. (BBC)
This is not uknown to Greek vessels, in 1991 the Oceanos sunk off South Africa, and the Greek captain abandoned the passengers saying something like I told them to leave, if they want to stay, they can stay.
Now of course, not all Greek Captains do this, but not many can be like Capt Sully of US Airlines who stayed with the airplane after landing in the Hudson River, and ensured 3X that every passenger was safely out before himself the last to leave.
The next time you take an American airline carrier, you may not like the rude flight attendants, but be assured that they won’t abandon you, even though they may not give you more peanuts.
Courage–ou have it or you don’t.
ON or INSIDE a ship on it’s side might not be the best place to be for the captain in order for him to direct evacuation. A lifeboat might be a better place as it has a ‘working’ RADIO and the boat can also be steered around the sinking vessel ( picking up survivors as it goes ) . The bridge of the sinking vessel might be unusable as would any equipment / radio’s etc. If a captain was “trapped” on the upturned hull , how can he coordinate and communicate with his staff ? So , I don’t think it’s time to judge the captain at this point ( 1st Feb. 2012 ) until we have all the facts.
no, it is not our intention to judge the captain. It was the intention of the Italian media based among others on the communication between the coastal guard and the the captain. The coastal guard definitely knows better how to organize and direct rescue efforts in a sinking ship.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM9sam2u_Tk and all media worldwide
Ken, I think the Italian authorities have the facts, and that’s why they arrested him I imagine. Directing an evacuation is doing what US Airlines Pilot Sully did, ensuring people get out as quick as possible, not jaw-jacking on a radio. Sure, someone has to speak with the coastguard but the main priority should be getting people off and into lifeboats and a brief call to the coast guard to send help. I’m no rocket scientist of course.