The arrest of the captain is very shocking

[jpthomas27]

An anamoly? Don't know where they came up with that one. The ship was using an open seaway between the island and the mainland... some eight miles wide and deep water. No reason why he would not go through there. There are no laws that say that a ship cannot pass between Giglio and the mainland.

...

 

I'm not sure you are familiar with the definition of "anomaly". It has nothing to do with whether or not he should have or could have gone there, nor does it have anything to do with the legalities of what he did. It has to do with whether or not it was normal or standard, in this case, for a ship to be in that particular location.

 

Your also incorrect as to the location of the ship. It was not in the open waters bewtween the main land and the island, it was in a channel between the island and a smaller island just off it's coast...and it is not normal or standard for a ship of that size to be traveling there, hence, an anomaly.

[JezzaC]

Weird thing is that personnel left ship and there was still people on board according to news information. Hopefully this isn't normal Costa Cruises policy. Last time few passengers died 2010 with Costa Cruises so maybe there is something wrong with their policies?

[YII]

All crashes/sinkings are due to human error. When a pilot flies into bad weather, and the weather causes the plane to crash, it's still human error...the pilot should not have flown into bad weather.

 

If an electrical problem causes propulsion to fail, it's still human error. The systems should have been inspected and checked, and have proper backups to make sure that there would be no electrical problems.

 

:eek: electrical problems cannot be prevented and some of them cannot be fixed on spot ! are you for real ?

[cruisefrost]

I believe the ship that sank off of South Africa was also abandoned by the Captian and crew and left the passengers to fend for them selfs. Italian crew and captian also. Will not sail with any line that has an Italian bridge staff. There seems to be a pattern

[travelberlin]

This is a scary situation. I have read crew members and passagiers were srambling for life boats. Drill or not, it is questionable if crew mmebers will risk their lifes for us.

[Red Mini Stapler]

This is a scary situation. I have read crew members and passagiers were srambling for life boats. Drill or not, it is questionable if crew mmebers will risk their lifes for us.

 

everybody reacts differently when they're faced with a dangerous situation, lets just hope that at least few crew members would keep calm and help out the passengers rather than "every man for himself".

[Topsham]

Once again, never doubt the crew did not see the actual course of the ship. I never ever heard of a mass human error on the bridge of a cruise ship.

 

 

Ouch! When you have been to sea few more years you will definitely cases of mass human error. All it takes is for one officerto be distracted and miss somethiing that another officer or captain or quartermaster is doing and the result becomes mass human error.

 

Usually it goes under the title of 'master/pilot relationship' but there are cases of master/officer of the watch relationship and who actually has 'the con'.

 

Good luck with your naval career.... but watch everyone!!

[boscobeans]

No!

I see the pics, I see the route he took... and I read and listen what is reported.

The reports only complete the picture.

This captain should have never been captain of a cruise ship. Just after looking at the position, the route, the accident site... Human error!

 

Just reported on A.P.I. News;

 

While ship owner Costa has insisted it was following the same route it takes every week between the Italian ports of Civitavecchia and Savona, residents on the island of Giglio said they had never seen the Costa come so close to the "Le Scole" reefs and rocks that jut out off Giglio's eastern side.

 

"This was too close, too close," said Italo Arienti, a 54-year-old sailor who has worked on the Maregigilo ferry service that runs between the island and the mainland for more than a decade. A now-retired Costa commander used to occasionally do "fly-bys" on the route, nearing a bit and sounding the siren in a special salute for his hometown, he said.

 

Such a fly-by was staged last August, but there was no incident, he said.

 

He said the cruise ship always stayed more than five to six nautical miles offshore, well beyond the reach of the "Le Scole" reefs, which are popular with scuba divers.

 

bosco

[Topsham]

I'm not sure you are familiar with the definition of "anomaly". It has nothing to do with whether or not he should have or could have gone there, nor does it have anything to do with the legalities of what he did. It has to do with whether or not it was normal or standard, in this case, for a ship to be in that particular location.

 

Your also incorrect as to the location of the ship. It was not in the open waters bewtween the main land and the island, it was in a channel between the island and a smaller island just off it's coast...and it is not normal or standard for a ship of that size to be traveling there, hence, an anomaly.

 

 

 

Sorry but you misunderstand what I said. The OP said the ship that the ship was passing between the Tuscaan coast and the island of Giglio. I stated that the passage between them is an open sea passage and that it was not an anomoly for ships to be using it.

 

The OP made no mention at all of the fact that the ship grounded on the coast of Giglio between the main part of the island and an outcrop of rock.

 

I am quite aware of where the grounding too place hence my comments known and unknown navigational hazzards

 

The original quote:

 

Quote:

 

The OP said the ship was sailing between the island of Giglio and the Tuscan coast.

Originally Posted by Cancruizer

from Cruisecritic news

 

Schettino, an 11-year Costa veteran, and a fellow officer were detained for questioning

 

In addition, the ship was evidently sailing between the Tuscan coast and Giglio instead of in open seas, an anamoly.

 

An anamoly? Don't know where they came up with that one. The ship was using an open seaway between the island and the mainland... some eight miles wide and deep water. No reason why he would not go through there. There are no laws that say that a ship cannot pass between Giglio and the mainland.

 

Taking the ship close to Giglio is another matter. What is known as "not prudent seamanship". Perfect safe though if you know all the risks but if you are unsure... don't go there. Prudent seamanship dictates that you do not put your vessel in harms way. Passing close inshore... taking the ship close to known... and possibly unknown hazzards... not best practice.

[Iluvcruising2]

If Costa and the captain were right, then what is the impact for the maritime industry?

 

1) Ship had always sailed the same route

2) This time round, ship hit an unchartered rock

 

Put 1) and 2) together, if true, what does it mean?

 

So there are plenty of unchartered rocks all over the place?

 

Or, even more sinister, somebody moved the big rock!!

[goose30]

This thread is great for following a very unfortunate situation. The speculation is interesting and everyone should take it with a grain of salt until the facts come out.

 

The thread would be much more interesting and informative if folks would read what they have written before they post. Then we might be able to understand without all the misspelling that makes some posts utterly useless.

[KatetheWanderer]

"According to the Italian navigation code, a captain who abandons a ship in danger can face up to 12 years in prison."

"A French couple who boarded the Concordia in Marseille, Ophelie Gondelle and David Du Pays of Marseille, told the Associated Press they saw the captain in a lifeboat, covered by a blanket, well before all the passengers were off the ship. They insisted on telling a reporter what they saw, so incensed that — according to them — the captain had abandoned the ship before everyone had been evacuated."

http://travel.usatoday.com/cruises/story/2012-01-15/Prosecutor-says-captain-left-ship-early/52579406/1

[ts636]

So far only 3 FACTS are known about this disaster:

 

1. The ship hit a rock and suffered catastrophic damage;

2. Well over 4000 people were rescued; and

3. Three fatalaties are confirmed.

 

Everything else is conjecture. The whys, whens, hows etc will only be known for sure after a full and thorough investigation and enquiry have been conducted.

 

To attribute blame before then is wrong.

[Red Mini Stapler]

This thread is great for following a very unfortunate situation. The speculation is interesting and everyone should take it with a grain of salt until the facts come out.

 

The thread would be much more interesting and informative if folks would read what they have written before they post. Then we might be able to understand without all the misspelling that makes some posts utterly useless.

 

god forbid if their first language isn't english :rolleyes:

[travelberlin]

IMHO they were human errors involved to bring the ship to this emergency, but also human action that made it possible that more than 4000 people were rescued and are safe. We do not know for sure what the captain did wrong to steer the ship so that it hit a rock. We hear however, that immediately after the problem, the captain took the ship as close as possible to shore, facilitating with this action the rescue of almost all people on board. So I give him a lots of credit for this. However I find it a big problem that he left the ship before other passengers or crew members. Why did he do that? Did he think that all others were save? When we see pictures of the ship, it does not look as if it was a danger of completely going under in the shallow waters. So, why didn't he stay with the ship?

[travelberlin]

everybody reacts differently when they're faced with a dangerous situation, lets just hope that at least few crew members would keep calm and help out the passengers rather than "every man for himself".

We will need a lot more than just few crew members reacting properly. I think we also need to think how each one of us would react in case of an emergency. This unfortunate incident shows us that something like this can happen. We at cruise critics love to cruise. Will we stop doing that? Not in my case. What I will do more consciously is pay more attention to the drill and hope that God will give me in such a situation the strength and will to help others while saving myself.

[guernseyguy]

To those shocked by the arrest of the captain, the prosecutor alleges he was "ready to run" and potentially interfere with the evidence....looks like the prosecutor was doing his job (tho coming from the UK I'm always struck by the willingness of prosecutors in other countries to try their cases in 'the court of public opinion'...)

[ODA 564]

I believe the ship that sank off of South Africa was also abandoned by the Captian and crew and left the passengers to fend for them selfs. Italian crew and captian also. Will not sail with any line that has an Italian bridge staff. There seems to be a pattern

 

That was a Greek captain and bridge crew. Greek-flagged ship.

[ODA 564]

"According to the Italian navigation code, a captain who abandons a ship in danger can face up to 12 years in prison."

"A French couple who boarded the Concordia in Marseille, Ophelie Gondelle and David Du Pays of Marseille, told the Associated Press they saw the captain in a lifeboat, covered by a blanket, well before all the passengers were off the ship. They insisted on telling a reporter what they saw, so incensed that — according to them — the captain had abandoned the ship before everyone had been evacuated."

http://travel.usatoday.com/cruises/story/2012-01-15/Prosecutor-says-captain-left-ship-early/52579406/1

 

The captain forgot he commanded a vessel at sea. He and the crew apparently became complacent in driving the floating hotel around in its groove in the sea.

 

But it isn't a ride at Euro Disney that runs on rails. Its a ship. And he commanded. He is responsible for everything. Those responsibilities make it more than a job.

 

Complacent leads to negligence.

[kokoko]

The captain forgot he commanded a vessel at sea. He and the crew apparently became complacent in driving the floating hotel around in its groove in the sea.

 

But it isn't a ride at Euro Disney that runs on rails. Its a ship. And he commanded. He is responsible for everything. Those responsibilities make it more than a job.

 

Complacent leads to negligence.

 

You are so right. Thats what he gets the big bucks for and the glory. That is why people are so thrilled to be seated at the "Captains Table". What ever he did or did not do he is responsible. I am sure in the stories to come we will read about many hero's and many paniced people, to bad nobody knows what they will be til your in that situation.

[Dave85]

I'm no expert on Italian law but it sounds like the prosecutor did the responsible thing holding the Captain during the initial investigation -- especially given credible (and wide-spread) reports of the Captain's behavior (are all of those people who saw the Captain leave before the evacuation was finished really lying?)

 

I hope that if the Captain is absolved he will be released in due time... but I can't say I fault the Italian prosecutor for doing his job...

[dot73]

Perhaps we are all becoming complacent with the use of computers, GPS, etc for just about everything. We have heard of people driving into water, off of cliffs while following the GPS system. Then there is the case of the Air France plane that crashed near South America because the computer malfunctioned and the crew didn't react in an appropriate manner. This ship did this route every week and it's surprising that the navigation officers didn't realize they were off course. In any event, the "black box" should be able to tell the investigators whether this accident was a result of mechanical failure, human error, negligence, or a combination of all. I am keeping an open mind until the investigation is completed. The one thing that really disturbs me is the report that the captain left the ship well before the last passengers and/or crew were off the ship. This really really bothers me.

[dot73]

I'm no expert on Italian law but it sounds like the prosecutor did the responsible thing holding the Captain during the initial investigation -- especially given credible (and wide-spread) reports of the Captain's behavior (are all of those people who saw the Captain leave before the evacuation was finished really lying?)

 

I hope that if the Captain is absolved he will be released in due time... but I can't say I fault the Italian prosecutor for doing his job...

 

By separating the captain and first officer from the rest of the officers, this will also prevent any collusion among them.

[Signor John]

The captain forgot he commanded a vessel at sea.

 

Defamation isn't just unethical--it can be expensive to defend.

[jopocop]

My confidence in all Cruise Ships is now shattered. I cannot believe that any Captain and his close offices could hit rocks, with all of the tech gear and sonar and stuff. A witness on Giglio Island said the ship was sailing the closest ever. This ship was going to sink fast but for it was ultimately able to turn and beach itself on the island. That gash in the side was huge! The gash had a big boulder or rock stuck in it.

I don't feel I can trust any Captain and his team if they could do this kind of joyriding with a ship. Totally disgusting and frightening. I have children and I could never now let them on a ship as they would be terrified.

This Captain needs jail time, along with others in charge that went along with this horrible joy riding