United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
Concordia captain claims he wasn’t in charge when ship hit rocks
The captain of the shipwrecked Costa Concordia claimed on Italian TV that another officer was in charge of the vessel when it hit rocks and capsized off the coast of Italy in January.
Captain Francesco Schettino also claimed he was distracted by a phone call just before the accident, in which 32 people drowned.
Schettino, who is accused of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning his ship while passengers and crew were still onboard, said in an interview with an Italian news programme that "destiny" had played a role in what was a "banal accident".
The captain, who is accused of causing the accident by sailing too close to rocks off the Tuscan island of Giglio, claimed in the interview that he had saved lives by steering the hulled ship to shallower waters nearer to the port before ordering an evacuation.
Later this month a judge will hear further evidence in the case, including recordings from the ship’s "black box", before deciding whether Schettino should stand trial.
By Linsey McNeill
Related News Stories:
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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
Robert Terrell: A Journey Through BB King’s Influence
Rochelle Hicks: Celebrating Mississippi’s Musical Legacy
Exploring Jacksonville with Katie Mitura: The Flip Side of Florida
Dozens fall ill in P&O Cruises ship outbreak
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Boy falls to death on cruise ship
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Storm Lilian travel chaos as bank holiday flights cancelled