United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
British couple seek two million euros in damages after Concordia disaster
A British couple who survived the Costa Concordia disaster in 2012 are seeking damages of €1 million each for post-traumatic stress.
Mandy and John Rodford, from Rochester, were celebrating their fourth wedding anniversary on the ship, which sank off the Tuscan coast killing 32 people.
Giving evidence this week at the trial of the ship’s captain, Francesco Schettino, the couple said due to the disaster they have been listed in court documents as suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
According to the Telegraph, Mr Rodford said the ship’s owners, Costa Crociere, had not provided passengers with information on how to evacuate the ship as the emergency drill was planned for the following day.
“It’s difficult to think that the firm is still trading while we, after two and a half years, still don’t sleep," he said.
The cruise company has already paid a €1 million fine and is offering compensation to passengers.
But one Italian passenger, who gave evidence at the trial earlier this week, told the court he had been offered €17,000 in compensation and considered it “laughable”.
Schettino is accused of manslaughter and abandoning ship, but has blamed poor quality maps and a second official for ignoring his instructions.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Mark Jaronski of Explore Georgia on FIFA World Cup 2026
Connecting Small Businesses to Global Tourism Markets: Nate Huff of Tourism Exchange
North Carolina’s Resilience: Wit Tuttell on Recovery and Tourism
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
BA suspending all Heathrow to Abu Dhabi flights
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Woman dies after going overboard in English Channel
Foreign Office issues travel advisory for winter sun destinations