Costa Concordia sinking (merged threads)

[Boytjie]

Also, the lifejackets need to be on the bed so people know where they are then they put them away! Some don't even know where they are in the closet.

 

They are rather hard to miss - when you open the closet they are there in all there bright orangeness taking up quite a bit of space.

[sail7seas]

MSNBC also released a transcript of a conversation between the captain and the Port Authority who was urging him to return to the ship and coordinate the rescue efforts... Needless to say, the captain was not cooperating.

 

This story is very sad and infuriating at the same time. I remember the valiant effort of Capt. Sully when the US Airways flight landed in the Hudson. From Wikipedia...Sullenberger walked the unflooded part of the passenger cabin twice to make sure everyone had evacuated before retrieving the plane's maintenance logbook and being the last to evacuate the aircraft. Why is this different?

 

B

 

 

I just listened to that tape being played on either Fox or CNN and it was shocking. Port Authority said to Captain words to the effect he called an evacuation and that made Port Authority in control at that point. He then ordered Captain to reboard at the bow and he refused.

 

It just makes no sense. How could a Captain so disregard his responsibilities? These Captains are so trained, so educated, and most so experienced. It is inconceivable to see a cruise ship Captain behave in this way. Jaw dropping IMO

 

 

 

[IRL_Joanie]

An Italian CC member has translated, into understandable English, the Converstaions between Captain Schettino and the Italian Port Authority (?Coast Guard?)

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=32001346&postcount=2133

 

Joanie

[LAFFNVEGAS]

 

 

 

Also they talked about not being scheduled to have the life boat drill until 5 PM the next day. They mentioned about how RCI has you scan your ID proving that will attended the drill.

 

I think I read somewhere that Princess does this as well.

 

SO -- do both of those cruise lines do this?

 

Would you like to see HAL do this?

KK, unless this is done in Europe for Princess and RCI or they have changed things drastically since I last sailed RCI in late November 2010 and Princess in January 2010 there definitely was no scanning of cards. Princess did do a Roll Call similar to most HAL Life Boat Drills but we went to an Inside lounge, absolutely no roll call was taken at the RCI Mariner but this was an outside drill similar to HAL but definitely no roll call in any way. They were not checking off names for attendance on our Hawaii HAL Oosterdam but it was done on the Westerdam in May and also on the NA in March.

[FrankNJ]

ROME (Reuters) - The Italian coast guard angrily ordered the captain of the capsized Italian cruise ship to go back aboard to oversee the evacuation, but he stalled, according to an apparent recording of their radio exchange played on national television.

 

Captain Francesco Schettino is in jail, accused of multiple manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship. He denies all wrongdoing and was questioned by magistrates on Tuesday.

 

The audio recording, on newspaper Corriere della Sera's website and played on national state television, reflected the chaos and confusion in the minutes after the Costa Concordia, carrying more than 4,000 passengers and crew, hit a rock off the Tuscany coast on Friday night and keeled over.

 

Schettino, who had already taken to a lifeboat, can be heard talking to a coast guard official based in the western Italian port of Livorno.

 

Eleven people have been confirmed killed and 24 are still missing.

 

A Coast Guard official on Giglio, the island where the ship hit a rock, said he could not confirm the authenticity of the tape and said the Coast Guard did not give it to the newspaper. There was no comment available from the captain's lawyer.

 

The recording is full of background noises such as radio static, beeps and background noise of people and confusion. As translated by Reuters, the entire conversation went as follows:

 

Coast Guard: Hello.

 

Captain: Good evening, chief.

 

Coast Guard: Listen, this is De Falco from Livorno. Am I speaking with the captain?

 

Captain: Good evening, Chief De Falco.

 

Coast Guard: Tell me your name, please.

 

Captain: I am Captain Schettino, chief.

 

Coast Guard: Schettino?

 

Captain: Yes.

 

Coast Guard: Listen, Schettino. There are people trapped on board. Now, you go with your lifeboat. Under the bow of the ship, on the right side, there is a ladder. You climb on that ladder and go on board the ship. Go on board the ship and get back to me and tell me how many people are there. Is that clear. I am recording this conversation, Captain Schettino.

 

(Captain tries to speak but Coast Guard can't hear him clearly. Voices in the Coast Guard room.)

 

Coast Guard: Speak up! (captain tries to speak) Captain, put your hand over the microphone and speak in a louder voice!

 

Captain: At this moment the ship is listing.

 

Coast Guard: There are people who are coming down the ladder on the bow. Go back in the opposite direction, get back on the ship, and tell me how many people there are and what they have on board. Tell me if there are children, women and what type of help they need. And you tell me the number of each of these categories. Is that clear?

 

Listen Schettino, perhaps you have saved yourself from the sea but I will make you look very bad. I will make you pay for this. Dammit, go back on board!

 

(Noise can be heard in the background. Apparently other Coast Guard officers are shouting to each other in the same room about "the ship, the ship")

 

Captain: Please ...

 

Coast Guard: There is no 'please' about it. Get back on board. Assure me you are going back on board!

 

Captain: I'm in a lifeboat, I am under here. I am not going anywhere. I am here.

 

Coast Guard: What are you doing, captain?

 

Captain: I am here to coordinate the rescue...

 

Coast Guard (interrupting): What are you coordinating there! Get on board! Coordinate the rescue from on board! Are you refusing?

 

Captain: No, I am not refusing.

 

Coast Guard: Are you refusing to go aboard, captain? Tell me the reason why you are not going back on board.

 

Captain: (inaudible)... there is a another lifeboat...

 

Coast Guard (interrupting, yelling): You get back on board! That is an order! There is nothing else for you to consider. You have sounded the "Abandon Ship." Now I am giving the orders. Get back on board. Is that clear? Don't you hear me?

 

Captain: I am going aboard.

 

Coast Guard: Go! Call me immediately when you are on board. My rescue people are in front of the bow.

 

Captain: Where is your rescue craft?

 

Coast Guard: My rescue craft is at the bow. Go! There are already bodies, Schettino. Go!

 

Captain: How many bodies are there?

 

Coast Guard: I don't know! ... Christ, you should be the one telling me that!

 

Captain: Do you realize that it is dark and we can't see anything?

 

Coast Guard: So, what do you want to do, to go home, Schettino?! It's dark and you want to go home? Go to the bow of the ship where the ladder is and tell me what needs to be done, how many people there are, and what they need! Now!

 

Captain: My second in command is here with me.

 

Coast Guard: Then both of you go! Both of you! What is the name of your second in command?

 

Captain: His name is Dmitri (static)"

 

Coast Guard: What is the rest of his name? (static) You and your second in command get on board now! Is that clear?

 

Captain: Look, chief, I want to go aboard but the other lifeboat here has stopped and is drifting. I have called ...

 

Coast Guard (interrupting): You have been telling me this for an hour! Now, go aboard! Get on board, and tell me immediately how many people there are!

 

Captain: OK, chief.

 

Coast Guard: Go! Immediately!

 

(Reporting By Philip Pullella; Editing by Peter Graff)

 

@

[mlmbar]

KK, unless this is done in Europe for Princess and RCI or they have changed things drastically since I last sailed RCI in late November 2010 and Princess in January 2010 there definitely was no scanning of cards. Princess did do a Roll Call similar to most HAL Life Boat Drills but we went to an Inside lounge, absolutely no roll call was taken at the RCI Mariner but this was an outside drill similar to HAL but definitely no roll call in any way. They were not checking off names for attendance on our Hawaii HAL Oosterdam but it was done on the Westerdam in May and also on the NA in March.

I was on Oasis in Sept and they were scanning our Sea pass cards as we entered the MDR, which was our muster area. I felt that assembling us in the MDR, without a view of the ocean compromised the seriousness of the drill. We had to wait quite a long time before the drill began (understandable on a ship of that size) but people were getting antsy because they had dinner reservations, etc. Had we been standing on deck, there might have been a bit more seriousness. That being said, I who always count the number of seats to the exit on the plane, was not totally attentive. You can be SURE, that next Sept on my next oasis cruise, and any others after that, I will be totally attentive. On ships that large, you are lulled into a false sense of secrurity because it doesn;t seem like you are on a ship and there are many public places where there is no ocean view.

 

On another topic, the captain had a very heavy Norweigan accent so it was difficult to understand an ything he said and the announcements were difficult to hear in many places, such as the Solarium. I remember my friend saying that they should really have the captain's announcements made by someone with an English /American accent as the majority of pax were American. The ship had engine trouble and we were won dering why we were traveling so slowly. I only knew this after hearing pax discussing this in the Solarium. Could not hear this message from the captain

[Krazy Kruizers]

They are rather hard to miss - when you open the closet they are there in all there bright orangeness taking up quite a bit of space.

 

 

When we arrive in our cabin I always check to see where the life jackets are.

In the Penthouse on the Westerdam we had to hunt them. They were not on the top shelf of the closet.

Instead they were in a cabinet in the pantry.

[Krazy Kruizers]

KK, unless this is done in Europe for Princess and RCI or they have changed things drastically since I last sailed RCI in late November 2010 and Princess in January 2010 there definitely was no scanning of cards. Princess did do a Roll Call similar to most HAL Life Boat Drills but we went to an Inside lounge, absolutely no roll call was taken at the RCI Mariner but this was an outside drill similar to HAL but definitely no roll call in any way. They were not checking off names for attendance on our Hawaii HAL Oosterdam but it was done on the Westerdam in May and also on the NA in March.

 

In 2010 on our Nieuw Amsterdam cruises no attendance was taken.

On our 2011 Amsterdam cruise attendance was taken.

Then on our 2011 Noordam no attendance taken.

HAL is not consistent.

 

I was on Oasis in Sept and they were scanning our Sea pass cards as we entered the MDR, which was our muster area. I felt that assembling us in the MDR, without a view of the ocean compromised the seriousness of the drill. We had to wait quite a long time before the drill began (understandable on a ship of that size) but people were getting antsy because they had dinner reservations, etc. Had we been standing on deck, there might have been a bit more seriousness. That being said, I who always count the number of seats to the exit on the plane, was not totally attentive. You can be SURE, that next Sept on my next oasis cruise, and any others after that, I will be totally attentive. On ships that large, you are lulled into a false sense of secrurity because it doesn;t seem like you are on a ship and there are many public places where there is no ocean view.

 

On another topic, the captain had a very heavy Norweigan accent so it was difficult to understand an ything he said and the announcements were difficult to hear in many places, such as the Solarium. I remember my friend saying that they should really have the captain's announcements made by someone with an English /American accent as the majority of pax were American. The ship had engine trouble and we were won dering why we were traveling so slowly. I only knew this after hearing pax discussing this in the Solarium. Could not hear this message from the captain

 

 

I was just going to say that we had friends who went on the Oasis in November and they had their Sea Pass card scanned.

Sounds like this is only on the newer RCI ships.

Maybe this should be done ALL cruise ships.

[Krazy Kruizers]

FrankNJ

Thank you for posting the recording.

I had heard part of it this morning but not the entire thing.

[Krazy Kruizers]

MSNBC also released a transcript of a conversation between the captain and the Port Authority who was urging him to return to the ship and coordinate the rescue efforts... Needless to say, the captain was not cooperating.

 

This story is very sad and infuriating at the same time. I remember the valiant effort of Capt. Sully when the US Airways flight landed in the Hudson. From Wikipedia...Sullenberger walked the unflooded part of the passenger cabin twice to make sure everyone had evacuated before retrieving the plane's maintenance logbook and being the last to evacuate the aircraft. Why is this different?

 

B

 

I remember that!!

He was a real hero.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Reading several posts here I am saddened to learn that more bodies were found.

[peaches from georgia]

I think at this point there's little hope for the missing, though there is always a miracle possible.

[sail7seas]

I think at this point there's little hope for the missing, though there is always a miracle possible.

 

Sadly, you are probably right.

 

What good news when we learned yesterday they rescued the Purser after all those hours.

[world~citizen]

I think at this point there's little hope for the missing, though there is always a miracle possible.

 

When all there is is hope, you grab on to it. They are not giving up.

 

I too am hoping for that miracle.

[bellebaby]

I remember that!!

He was a real hero.

 

Yes, Sully was a hero. The passengers of that flight were fortunate. I am certain there are many heroes in this tragedy, too. However, it doesn't appear that the captain of the Costa Concordia is one of them.

 

B

[world~citizen]

...These Captains are so trained, so educated, and most so experienced.

 

Apparently not. :eek:

[Kooolmomma]

Just Released: Chilling Transcript of Coast Guard with Costa Captain

by richarddetrich

Italian Coast Guard Captain to Costa Captain: "Get on board, damn it."

 

As this story unfolds it becomes more and more tragic and confusing. The Italian Coast Guard has released a supposed transcript of an emergency radio conversation with the Costa Captain and the Coast Guard.

Below are several transcripts of recordings between authorities and the captain published by the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera and translated by CNN's Hada Messia. The first calls came in right after midnight.

 

Livorno Port Authorities: "Concordia, we ask you if all is OK there."

 

Concordia: "All is well."

 

-----------------------

 

Port authority: "Concordia, We ask you if all is well there."

 

Concordia: "All is well. It is only a technical failure."

 

-----------------------

 

Port authority: "How many people are on board?"

 

Schettino: "Two-three hundred"

 

Port authority: "How come so few people? Are you on board?’

 

Schettino: "No, I’m not on board because the ship is keeling. We’ve abandoned it."

 

Port authority: "What? You’ve abandoned the ship?"

 

Schettino: "No. What abandon? I’m here."

 

-----------------------

 

Italian Coast Guard Capt. Gregorio De Falco: "Captain. This is De Falco from Livorno."

 

Schettino: "Commandant, I’ve also alerted the company… I’m being told that there are still passengers on board, apparently they are about one hundred… but I repeat…"

 

De Falco: "Captain. You are not able to tell me an exact figure? About a hundred people, it seems?

 

Schettino: "Commandant, I am not able to give you an exact figure because let me explain... while we were evacuating the last passengers… now we are all here with all the officers…"

 

De Falco: "Where are you? On the lifeboats? All the officers?"

 

Schettino: "Yes, we are with the second commander…"

 

De Falco: "Forgive me, but before you were only with a sailor. If the officers managed to get down, it means that they could still move."

 

Schettino: "Yes...in fact...

 

De Falco: "Then why don’t they get back on board? To monitor the operation and then they can tell us. Thank you."

 

Schettino: "No it is not possible…"

 

De Falco: "Send them on board. Send one person on board to coordinate..."

 

Schettino: "But I am doing the coordination."

 

De Falco: "I’m giving you an order captain. You need to send someone on board."

 

Schettino: "We are going on board to coordinate."

 

De Falco: "Exactly. You need to get on board to coordinate the evacuation. Is that clear?!"

 

Schettino: "But we can’t get on board now…the ship is now…(hard to understand)..."

 

De Falco: "Why did you tell them to get down?"

 

Schettino: "What do you mean get down? We abandoned the ship…the ship turned ..."

 

De Falco: "...and with one hundred people on board you abandon the ship? (expletive)"

 

Schettino: "I did not abandon any ship with 100 people…the ship (hard to understand)...we were catapulted into the water..."

 

De Falco: We’ll see later what happened. OK? Now tell me everything that takes place. Everything. Get under with the lifeboat (not very clear at this point). Don’t move. Clear?"

 

Schettino: "Commandant..we are here…we are here..."

 

-----------------------

 

Port authority: "You must return on board. Climb the ladder (rope ladder), return to the fore (stem) and coordinate the work."

 

Schettino does not reply

 

Port authority: "You must tell us how many people are on board, how many women, how many children. You have to coordinate the rescue operation. Commander, this is an order. Now I’m in charge, you have abandoned ship and now you are going to go to the stem and coordinate the work. There are already dead bodies."

 

Schettino: "How many?"

 

Port authority: "You should be the one telling me this…What do you want to do? Do you want to go home?...Now go back on the stem and tell me what to do.."

 

-----------------------

 

Italian Coast Guard Capt. Gregorio De Falco: "Listen, this is De Falco from Livorno. Am I speaking with the captain?"

 

Schettino: "Yes."

 

Italian Coast Guard Capt. Gregorio De Falco: "Tell me your name."

 

Schettino: "This is Captain Schettino, commandant."

 

De Falco: "Listen Schettino, there are people trapped on board. Now, you have to go with your lifeboat and go under the boat stem on the straight side, there is a ladder there."

 

De Falco: "Get on board on the ship and tell me, you tell me how many people there are."

 

De Falco: "Clear? I’m recording this conversation, Captain Schettino."

 

Schettino: "Well then commandant, I need to tell you something."

 

De Falco: "Speak loudly."

 

Schettino: "The ship now…I’m here in front of it..."

 

De Falco: "Captain, speak loudly."

 

Schettino: "Commandant, at this moment the ship is tilted."

 

De Falco: "I understand. Listen. There are people who are coming down the stem ladder. You must take that ladder in the opposite direction. Get on board the ship and you tell me how many people are on board, and what do they have. Clear? You tell me if there are children, women, people with special needs. And you tell me how many there are of each category..."

 

De Falco: "Is that clear?"

 

De Falco: "Look Schettino, you might have been saved from the sea, but I will make sure you go through a very rough time…I will make sure you go through a lot of trouble. Get on board, damn it."

 

-----------------------

 

Schettino: "Commandant, please…"

 

Port authority: "No...please. No, you get on board. Assure me that you are getting on board."

 

Schettino: (Hard to understand) "I’m here with the rescuers. I’m here. I’ve not gone anywhere. I’m here."

 

Port authority: "What are you doing captain?"

 

Schettino: "I’m here coordinating the rescue."

 

Port authority: (Speaks over captain): "What are you coordinating there? Go on board and coordinate from there the rescue operation. Are you refusing?"

 

Schettino: "No, no, I’m not refusing."

 

Port authority: "You are refusing to go on board? And why are you not going on board?"

 

Schettino: "I am going because now there is the other motorboat (Lancia) that has stopped now."

 

Port authority: "You go on board. It is an order. You cannot make any other evaluations. You have declared abandoning ship. Now I’m in charge. You get on board. Is it clear?"

 

Schettino: "Commandant..."

 

Port authority over captain: "Are you not listening to me.."

 

Schettino speaks over Port authority: "I’m going..."

 

Schettino: "Call me immediately when you get on board. Our rescue officer is there."

 

Schettino: "Where is your rescue officer?"

 

Port authority: "My rescue officer is at the stem…Go …(can hear captain saying OK)…There are already bodies, Schettino."

 

Schettino: "How many dead bodies are there?"

 

Port authority: "I don’t know. I know of one. I’ve heard of one. You are the one to tell me how many there are. Christ!"

 

Schettino: "Are you aware that it is dark here and we cannot see anything?"

 

Port authority: "So? Do you want to go home Schettino? It is dark and you want to go home? Climb the ladder and get on the stem."

 

Port authority: "...and tell me what can be done, how many people are there, what do they need. Now."

 

Schettino: "Commandant, we are with the second in command…"

 

Port authority: "Then both of you climb up. What is his name?"

 

Schettino: "Dimitris Christidis."

 

Port authority: "You are your guard. Go on board, now!"

 

Schettino: "Commandant… I want to go on board, it is just that the other lifeboat here…there are other rescue operators... it has stopped and it is stuck there... now I’ve called other rescue operators..."

 

Port authority: "It is one hour that you are telling me this. You go on board. On b.o.a.r.d (says the word slowly almost spelling it out). And you immediately tell me how many people there are"

 

Schettino: "OK."

[KirkNC]

This is an interesting map:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16563562

 

If true, it tells me all I need to know about who is at fault.

[FrankNJ]

Thank you KirkNC

 

I wonder if anyone can find previous trip maps since the ship sailed this cruise apparently every week for a year ( according to Costa's statement)

[LordSpain]

from the Costa board:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1548101&page=120

[IRL_Joanie]

This was posted a little over an hour ago on the Costa Boards:

 

This is my (poor) translation Italian-to-English of an article which was published in the Italian newspaper "La Repubblica" today 17.01.12. IF these allegations are true : this indicates a WHOLE new ballgame.....

 

 

 

@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } Grosseto - The shipwreck of the "Concordia" reveals more secrets. And the words of the chief prosecutor of Grosseto, Francesco Ferusio, confirm them. “Regarding the position of the captain, we are evaluating the possible responsibility of the entire chain of command," he says.

 

This statement is deliberately non-commital, but clear enough. It announces new avenues of investigation, at least three, and glosses over the questions around which the investigation has turned thus far. Who is really responsible for the unfortunate decisions taken on the night of Friday 13th? Only Francesco Schettino? What happened on the bridge between 21:42 (the time of impact with the granite rocks of Giglio) and 22:58, the recorded moment when the order to abandon ship was given? What did the owner, "Costa Crociere" know about these events? And what role did Management play in them? Why so late giving the most obvious and logical orders? Why was it decided to "salute" the island with so risky a manoeuvre?

 

In the last twenty-four hours, between Grosseto, Orbetello, Porto Santo Stefano and Livorno, a dozen key witnesses were questioned by the investigators. The entire complement of Concordia officers. Amongst them, Salvatore Orsini, Silvia Corona (second and third officer), Deck Officer Martino Pellegrini, Andrea Bongiovanni, Giovanni Iaccarino and Alessandro Di Lena. And in their statements a wealth of new details have emerged which, when added up,

suggest an incredible new hypothesis. On Friday 13, Francesco Schettino was in reality carrying out a dare, an act of bravado. To show "once again" how great he was at sea. Which, as we shall show, he had already done. On the same ship, December 17.

 

ON THE PHONE WITH THE COAST

Let us return to Friday night. In 60 minutes the fate of the "Concordia", its crew, and its 4,200 passengers, was played out. What happened on the Bridge, after the impact? Officer Alessandro Di Lena explained: "The Captain was glued to his cellphone. He made many calls. We asked him "Captain,what are you doing ? " But he did not reply - always on the phone.” On the phone with whom? At least three officers on the bridge confirm this crucial detail. "Schettino called Ferrarini at least three times, maybe four, they spoke for a long time." Roberto Ferrarini is the "Director of Marine Operations", in charge of crisis control for the whole Costa fleet .

 

What decisions were these two making? La Repubblica’s sources, from within the shipping company, explained : "It is true, Schettino contacted Ferrarini for the first time at 22.05 and after that communication the emergency procedures were activated." All right. Ferrarini perhaps gave the Captain orders to abandon ship? Or to alert the Coast Guard? If that is true, then why did Schettino ignore these orders (the evacuation was ordered only at 22:58 after direct orders from the Coast Guard)? And if in fact Schettino actually “did his own thing”, why, on the morning of the 14th, did the shipping company pubicly (in a press conference) defend the correctness of the behavior of their Captain?

 

“Costa” officially stated "we can not violate confidentiality at this stage of investigation,” and therefore they could not give answers to the content of those three phone calls. But unofficially sources inside the company report that, indeed, communications were handled that night with Schettino. The Captain indeed admitted to having "a serious problem on board," but, according to our sources, minimized it, saying it was under control. It is a fact – corroborated by two officers on the bridge - the third and final phone call with Ferrarini, before evacuating the ship, ended with the words of the Captain. Distraught. "My career ends here. I am fired."

 

ON CELLPHONE WITH PALOMBO

Ferrarini is not the only one with whom Schettino spent this crucial hour on the phone. There was also the retired Captain Terence Mario Palombo, the man who, for four years, was Schettino’s commander on the "Serena", the sister ship of the "Concordia". The recipient of the island “salute”. Questioned by investigators, Palombo confirmed that he had spoken that night with Schettino. He called Schettino, after being warned by the mayor of Giglio that the Concordia was in trouble. Indeed? Other intelligence sources, explain that in fact, "Schettino was already on the phone with Palombo at the moment of impact with the rocks." In a sort of "direct mail" of his gamble (the Court has asked for printouts of the Captain’s cellphone). Palombo, after speaking with Schettino, contacted Costa Crociere, as confirmed by the company: "Indeed, Palombo, who is a highly respected Captain, with a long career in Costa, appears to have contacted Gianni Onorato, Director-General. By then the Company was already aware of the emergency. "

 

IN THE BELLY OF THE FLOODED SHIP

Let us imagine the scene, between 21:42 and 22:58. Schettino stunned on the bridge and glued to the phone. Passengers with life-jackets on, awaiting orders. The picture becomes dramatic, in the words of Giovanni Iaccarino, First Officer. "At 21:42, after the impact the captain orders me – verbally - to go down in the engine room. I ran down and the scene was terrifying. Everything flooded. I was literally up to my neck in water. Engine compartment flooded. Generators flooded. Electrical control console flooded." Via intercom Iaccarino shouts to the Bridge what he sees. "Flooded engine compartment", "Flooded Generators." On the Bridge, they shout out aloud what they hear. Pumps dead, engines stopped. Everyone is waiting for the obvious answer: Evacuate. Also because, on the ship, only one source of energy now works. A small " Isotta Franschini " diesel generator. The "Donald Duck", as the emergency generator on the top deck of the "Concordia" is nicknamed , which can only supply the emergency lighting on board. Iaccarino yells into the intercom what he sees every ten minutes. But there is no answer. Schettino is on the phone.

 

THE ORDER TO LOWER LIFEBOATS

At about 22.30, on the Bridge, it is clear that waiting for a response from the Captain is useless. Backing Schettino was only Dimitri Christidis, the Greek senior officer (who was later discovered with Schettino in the lifeboat taking them to safety in the night). Other officers discuss whether to pass command of the ship to Roberto Bosio, the second in command, a Ligurian with whom Schettino was known to have had deep distrust and maritime rivalry. Bosio was all for immediate evacuation and, in fact, began operations even without the official order. Bosio must not have been too wrong if it is true that, according to Di Lena, "For the first forty minutes from the impact, the ship was drifting. We could easily have dropped the lifeboats, with passengers loaded, on both sides. We could have all arrived on land without even getting our feet wet. "

 

THE FOLLY OF MARSEILLE

Concordia is sinking and for the first time its officers have the guts to rebel against their Captain. They didn’t have the same guts on December 17 last year when - another shocking truth that emerges from the statements - Schettino jeopardizes the ship for first time, laden with passengers. That day, the Concordia was docked in the port of Marseilles. The wind blew between 50 and 60 knots. A storm. According to Deck Officer Martino Pellegrini: "He gathered us on the wharf and informed us that we would go out anyway, despite the wind. There was a chilling silence. We looked between us, but we did not have the strength to speak. Then, he ordered us to inspect the bumpers of the dock, making sure that they held. " That day, in fact, the maneuver was reckless. The "Concordia" left the dock with the "engines full steam ahead" off those bumpers by bouncing off them, like a spring.

 

THE “DARE” OF GIGLIO

Marseille on the 17th , Giglio on the 13th. It seems like a diabolical witches brew. But perhaps – according to the testimony of those questioned – it was a terrible “seaman’s dare”. Schettino wanted to prove to himself and to the other officers of Costa how great he was. On the night of the 13th - as confirmed by the onboard cartographic records – he ordered the navigation officer to to plot a new course to approach Giglio. Into the autopilot electronic control system - says Pellegrino - the course was entered "278 ° north-west" to pass 0.5 miles from land (900 meters). But when the "Concordia" saw the lights of Giglio, Schettino took the helm. "Switch to manual" he ordered. "I take control (Commando io)." And this dare of a “fly-by” salute became a game of Russian roulette.

 

What smacked me in the face was the statement that the Captain did this as a DARE!!!!

 

Joanie

[IRL_Joanie]

Thank you KirkNC

 

I wonder if anyone can find previous trip maps since the ship sailed this cruise apparently every week for a year ( according to Costa's statement)

I found one is of the AIS 06 January 2012 and the one from the 13th.

 

Yellow line in first shows the route taken (normal course) Red line shows the wrong course, or should that be the deviated course?)

 

 

2nd photo is of the AIS on 13 January 2012

 

 

He was definitely off course.

 

Joanie

[FrankNJ]

My God.

[Pushka]

Heaven help us that we put our lives at risk with such megalomaniacs!

[kazu]

My God.

 

While I know that the evidence isn't in I find this all very scary and echo FrankNJ's comment. I know you shouldn't judge - you can't totally trust the media - but OMG - is there any question?

 

All this needless loss of lives - it is so sad - and I am afraid there are more