Concordia Cruise Audio Francesco Schettino Subtitles English....The ship's Italian owner, a subsidiary of Carnival Cruise lines, issued a statement late Sunday saying there appeared to be 'significant human error' on the part of the captain, Francesco Schettino, 'which resulted in these grave consequences'.
It said in a statement: 'The route of the vessel appears to have been too close to the shore, and the captain's judgment in handling the emergency appears to have not followed standard Costa procedures.'
Carnival PLC, the owner of the capsized boat, saw its share price plummet by around a fifth.
Carnival CEO Micky Arison said in a statement: 'At this time, our priority is the safety of our passengers and crew.
'We are deeply saddened by this tragic event and our hearts go out to everyone affected by the grounding of the Costa Concordia and especially to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives.'
Authorities were holding Schettino for suspected manslaughter and a prosecutor confirmed yesterday they were also investigating allegations the captain abandoned the stricken liner before all the passengers had escaped.
According to the Italian navigation code, a captain who abandons a ship in danger can face up to 12 years in prison.
Schettino insisted he did not leave the liner early, telling Mediaset television that he had done everything he could to save lives.
He said: 'We were the last ones to leave the ship.'
Questions also swirled about why the ship had navigated so close to the dangerous reefs and rocks that jut off Giglio's eastern coast, amid suspicions the captain may have ventured too close while carrying out a manoeuvre to entertain tourists on the island.
Residents of Giglio said they had never seen the Costa come so close to the dangerous 'Le Scole' reef area.
'This was too close, too close,' said Italo Arienti, a 54-year-old sailor who has worked on the Maregiglio ferry between Giglio and the mainland for more.
man i am not italian but i feel proud...
JetPilotCR 1 month ago
@JetPilotCR proud?? of what?
goticamedieval009 1 month ago