Important News from Your Texas Accident Lawyer
Concordia's captain blamed for deadly disaster in the Tyrrhenian Sea
Posted on Jan 16, 2012
Our Galveston maritime lawyers were deeply distressed by news of the deadly Concordia disaster in the Tyrrhenian Sea, a shipwreck that's already being compared to the Titanic disaster. Costa Cruises, after initial statements praising the actions of the Concordia's captain and crew, have now issued a new statement. The company says: "The route of the vessel appears to have been too close to the shore, and the captain's judgment in handling the emergency appears to have not followed standard Costa procedures."
Costa Cruises is a subsidiary of Carnival Cruise Lines. Carnival was founded by the Arison family from Israel decades ago and has since spun off other regional cruise lines.
Witnesses from the Concordia itself say that captain Francesco Schettino was "showing off" when he ran the ship onto the rocks in the Tyrrhenian Sea near the Italian island of Giglio. The collision with the submerged hazards created a gash some 55 meters long in the ship's hull. The ship listed, filled with water, and ended more than half submerged with its floors perpendicular to the surface of the sea.
The disaster caused the deaths of several passengers and crewmembers as well as scores of injuries. Survivors recount a tableau of chaos as the captain abandoned his sinking cruise ship, leaving passengers and crew behind. Passengers relate that they were initially told the ship was experiencing a minor electrical problem. Then when the crew admitted the magnitude of the problem, they were slow to lower the lifeboats and provided little direction regarding evacuation procedures.
Passengers interviewed by the media depict a scene of confusion and disorder where passengers fought over life jackets and lifeboats. It was an "every man for himself" scenario according to witness accounts of the tragic disaster.
Some of the problem might derive from the lack of a captain's guiding hand during the evacuation. Apparently the captain had already taken himself off to safety. Coast Guard officers and other witnesses report seeing the captain on land while the chaotic evacuation was in progress. They exhorted him to rejoin his ship. He ignored their advice. Now he's facing charges for abandoning his vessel and failing to render assistance. Under Italian maritime law, a captain who abandons his ship in distress faces up to 12 years in prison.
Prosecutor Francesco Verusio, who confirmed that the captain indeed had abandoned his vessel, did not sound likely to be lenient. Particularly since this captain seems also to have caused his ship's distress with unusually foolhardy maneuvers. The prosecutor said First Officer Ciro Ambrosio was being detained for questioning on related charges.
The Galveston maritime lawyers at Denena & Points express their condolences to the families and friends of those tragically lost to this disaster in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and with the families and friends of those still missing after the wreck of the Concordia. Our sincere wishes for safe recoveries from their wounds go out to those injured in the tragedy.
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