Concordia Captain Freed from House Arrest

Captain Francesco Schettino, Captain of the Costa Concordia when it ran aground off the coast of Giglio, Italy, was released from house arrest by Italian judges on Thursday.  He no longer has to remain confined to his home in Meta di Sorrento near Naples but must remain in the town.

Schettino is accused of multiple counts of manslaughter, causing the accident, and abandoning ship prematurely. 

He would also no longer be bound by the strict conditions of house arrest, which prevented him from communicating with anyone apart from his lawyer and close family. The judges' ruling said that the period Schettino had spent under house arrest had already had a deterrent effect and he would remain under adequate supervision by authorities.

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