Expert panel to investigate Costa Concordia tragedy

A panel of experts has been appointed to scrutinise data, conversations and evidence from the Costa Concordia to help the court decide its verdict in the criminal courts.

Evidence and testimony amassed since the crash, including recordings from the ship’s "black box", was handed over to the panel – made up of two naval experts and two academics – who must report back their findings on 21 July.

It follows the first hearing of the criminal investigation at the weekend which was held in a theatre in the Tuscan city Grosetto, instead of a courthouse due to the high demand.

Relatives of victims, survivors and lawyers attended.

The shipwreck killed 25 people, and seven other are missing and presumed dead.

Captain Francesco Schettino is accused of abandoning ship while many of the 4,200 passengers and crew were still aboard during a confused evacuation.

More allegations have emerged accusing the Costa Concordia captain, Francesco Schettino of taking his glasses off the night of the accident and being unable to see the radar.

Other reports suggest the captain was involved in a previous accident when he damaged the Aida Blu cruise ship in June 2010 after sailing too fast into a German port. At the time he was captain of Costa Atlantica.

Leaked documents published last week contained claims of a hard-partying atmosphere on board two Costa Crociere ships including the Costa Concordia, with officers seen snorting cocaine and getting drunk on a regular basis.

The investigation will also look at the decisions and actions of nine people including three Costa Crociere executives and five other crew members.

These include Costa’s vice-president, Manfred Ursprunger, head of its crisis unit, Roberto Ferrarini, with whom Mr Schettino was in contact during the evacuation and the ship’s first officer, Ciro Ambrosio.

Captain Francesco Schettino, who made an unauthorised diversion from his programmed route, has been placed under house arrest, accused of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning his ship.

Clive Garner, head of travel law at Irwin Mitchell, which represents dozens of passengers and crew, mainly British, who were on board said: "The experts’ reports should also be helpful in establishing how much blame the Costa cruise line has to bear."

Costa Cruises again came under the spotlight earlier in the week when a fire broke out in the generator room of the Costa Allegra, leaving the cruise ship without power and adrift in waters known to be prowled by pirates in the Indian Ocean.

The ship arrived in the Seychelles after three days under tow. There were no injuries.

By Diane Evans