Costa Concordia captain wants job back
Francesco Schettino, the captain of the Costa Concordia, has launched legal action to get his job back, nine months after the luxury cruise liner capsized with the loss of 32 lives.
Captain Francesco Schettino is also claiming back pay, after it emerged that he had been dismissed by Costa Cruises, the company that owns the Concordia, in July.
"Costa Crociere confirms that it has concluded the disciplinary procedure against Schettino, following the sinking of the Costa Concordia, ordering his dismissal," the company said in a statement.
The captain has claimed that he managed to save lives on the night of the disaster by steering the listing ship so that it sank in shallows off the coast of Tuscany, rather than in open water, reports the Daily Telegraph.
He has said that many more lives would have been lost had he not made the manoeuvre as the ship began to take on water after a rocky shoal tore a massive rip in its hull.
He is expected to appear for a court hearing next week at which he is expected to be sent to trial.
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