Captain Schettino Prison Sentence Set

Captain Schettino

Convicted & Sentenced

Costa Concorida Trial

 

Just over three years following the capsizing of Costa Concordia off the coast of Giglio, Italy, the Italian court has handed down its verdict in the trial of Captain Schettino. He was sentenced Wednesday to 16 years and one month in prison for multiple counts of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship in the 2012 disaster that killed 32 people.


Sentencing by the three judge panel was as follows:

• five years for causing the Jan. 13, 2012, shipwreck
• one year for abandoning the ship 
• one month for false communications to maritime authorities

While this sentence was less than the 26 years and 3 months requested by prosecutors, Schettino had commented (prior to sentencing) that the verdict "should have involved an entire organization and instead sees me as the only defendant." Several of his crew members had already taken deals by pleading guilty to their charges.

Despite the prison sentence, Schettino remains a free man.  The court rejected prosecutors' request that Schettino be immediately arrested. In Italy, defendants have two levels of appeals and sentences don't begin being served until those appeals are exhausted.

The appeals will undoubtedly center around Schettino's contention that no one died because of the collision, but because of problems beyond his control including the following factors:

• helmsman who botched Schettino's orders immediately before and after the collision
• crew members who weren't fluent in English or in Italian, the working language of the ship
• emergency generator failed after the crash 
• water-tight compartment doors also didn't work properly
• lack of emergency drills after cruise started 

We have been covering the entire Costa Concordia accident, including the cleanup and legal proceedings.   For complete details, see our anchor article:  Costa Concordia Listing after Deadly Accident

Related Blog Posts 

Captain Schettino Testifies
Captain Schettino Gets Day in Court or Not
The Legal ABCs of the Costa Concordia Shipwreck (Peter Greenberg)
Costa Concordia Legal Update (Ongoing updates)
Expert Findings Released on Costa Concordia

Captain Schettino Testifies

Captain Schettino

Testifies in 

Costa Concorida Trial

 

CNN reporter Barbie Nadeau details Captain Schettino's testimony December 2nd as he took the stand for the first time. Commenting about the trial he said

 "It is exhausting, but I think it is going well," Schettino said of Tuesday's hearing. "It is important because this is the only chance I have to tell my version of events."

Several of his crew members have already taken deals by pleading guilty to their charges. Those testimonies may be hard for Schettino to overcome as he tells his version of the story. He faces up to 23 years in prison if convicted.  The trial began in July, 2013.

We have been covering the entire Costa Concordia accident, including the cleanup and legal proceedings.   For complete details, see our anchor article:  Costa Concordia Listing after Deadly Accident
Related Blog Posts 

Captain Schettino Gets Day in Court or Not
The Legal ABCs of the Costa Concordia Shipwreck (Peter Greenberg)
Costa Concordia Legal Update (Ongoing updates)
Expert Findings Released on Costa Concordia

Costa Concordia the Final Journey

Costa Concordia
Giglio to Genoa

Approvals have been given for the salvage team, directed by Titan Micoperi, to commence one of the final stages in the salvage of the Costa Concordia.


Refloating To Begin

Refloating stages

The refloating operation will be divided into 4 separate stages. The refloat will be complete when the greatest possible amount of water has been pumped out of the sponsons and the ship is virtually parallel to sea level.

• Stage 1: Partial refloating and eastward movement of the wreck 
• Stage 2: Attachment and tensioning of the chains and cables and final positioning ofthe starboard sponsons
• Stage 3: Actual refloating - At this stage the actual refloating will commence
• Stage 4: Final maneuvers and departure of the ship from the island

Salvage experts will conduct the refloating operations from the Remote Operations Center (ROC) located on the Concordia. The monitoring systems will be handling the ballast in the sponsons and guaranteeing vessel stability, trim and the even distribution of the forces acting on the hull.

UPDATE:  22 JULY 2014 Today, Costa Concordia departs from Giglio on its final voyage. A convoy of several tugs and support vessels has begun the slow journey from Giglio to the final port call for Costa Concordia in Genoa, Italy  where it will be dismantled and sold for scrap. We have followed this story since that fateful Friday the 13th in 2012.  This final journey, will take about 4 days as the convoy proceeds at about 2 knots, roughly the speed of walking.   Here are some images and stories which we have found on the web.   Most interesting may be how Giglio gets back to "normal" whatever that means.   It was a small town that was not very well known until it became center stage with a global audience watching.    CNN:  How do islanders feel about the Costa Concordia departing? The answer may surprise you: http://cnn.it/1A4XoTq  Costa Concordia Begins Its Final Voyage http://on.wsj.com/1nV1nrO  via @WSJphotos  In Focus: Final Voyage of the Costa Concordia - 30 photos of the 30-month salvage operation - http://goo.gl/cYFUyi  pic.twitter.com/rPuE5DTKtT gCaptain.com: Track Costa Concordia Live – AIS MAP http://goo.gl/fb/z68mz4   15 Spectacular Photos of the Refloated Costa #Concordia… And she's off! http://gcaptain.com/15-spectacular-photos-of-the-refloated-costa-concordia/ … pic.twitter.com/J4ze421wpo

  


This video shows the refloating phases of Costa Concordia salvage operations (limited hours of operation)


Once it is afloat, the wreck will be ready for transportation to its final destination, namely the
Port of Genoa Voltri.  Two possible courses have been selected with the actual course determined by conditions at the time of towing commencement.  The course pictured above, courtesy of Titan Micoperi, would cover 208 nautical miles.  The second course would be slightly shorter.

Costa Concordia Live Web Cam Links: 
 http://costaconcordiawebcams.com/

The Parbuckling Project: Concordia wreck removal project informative website Main article: Costa Concordia Listing after Deadly Accident  Re-floating Concordia    Courtesy: Parbuckling Project UPDATE 03 July 2014: Costa Crociere: installation of all sponsons completed, ten days to possible refloating Genoa, Italy has been selected to receive the vessel for salvage “Following installation of the last sponson, we can start the countdown to refloating and final departure of the wreck from Giglio Island,” said Costa Crociere CEO Michael Thamm. “Now all our energies are focused on the successful conclusion of this unprecedented engineering challenge to respect a precise commitment: remove the Concordia wreck as soon as possible, in compliance with the highest environmental and safety standards.” Watch footage from Italian police divers in the sunken ship just before it is scheduled to be towed:  Inside Costa Concordia Now & Before

Inside Costa Concordia Now & Before

Italian Police Divers

The wreck of the luxury cruise ship 

Costa Concordia  Credit: Italian Carabinieri

Explore Sunken
Costa Concordia

In this silent video, Courtesy of the Italian Carabinieri (police), we get a glimpse of the inside of the sunken Costa Concordia which has been lying off the coast of Giglio, Italy since early January 2012.   The ship is scheduled to be towed to Genoa later this month for dismantling and recycling.

Police divers explored the wreck of the £500 million luxury liner and filmed evidence of debris and dilapidation from the ship's two-and-a-half-years spent under water.  Some of the furnishings appear to be well-preserved as if frozen in time.   After watching this video, also watch the second video captured just moments before the fateful incident.

Main article: Costa Concordia Listing after Deadly Accident
See also:       Costa Concordia Salvage Begins


Italian Police Divers - this video has no sound


Watch: Footage from inside the ship moments before it sank:

Costa Concordia Two Years Later

Latest Image from Parbuckling Project Site

  Tomorrow marks the two year anniversary of the Costa Concordia disaster in which 32 people lost their lives, many more were injured, family and friends were devastated, the world watched and the cruise industry was impacted forever.  The image above is a live feed from the salvage site.  It shows the Costa Concordia, now righted, awaiting the next phase of the salvage operations.  Tanks must be put in place so that they can be filled with air to raise the ship off the sea bed.  The ship has been winterized and nothing will be done until April.

Costa Concordia wreck 2nd anniversary marked by survivors

Watch the vigil live at 3:45 p.m. ET

Salvage Operations

View these amazing images of Costa Concordia today.
 
The parbuckling phase of the salvage operations has been successful, with the Concordia now upright.   The next phase will be to re-float the ship so that it can be removed.  This is expected to be completed in June this year barring any unforeseen weather or other delays.

Eight ports are bidding for to be the site of the dismantling of the ship.  In addition 12 companies are bidding for the job of breaking up, scrapping and recycling the vessel.  Total cost of the operations is expected to be €600m (£496m).

Costa Concordia Removal Plans

Costa Concordia Salvage Begins

Parbuckling of Costa Concordia Approved 

Parbuckling of Costa Concordia Begins 

Main article: Costa Concordia Listing after Deadly Accident 

Cruise LInes Respond to Typhoon Haiyan Disaster

Karen L. Nyberg, an astronaut aboard the International 
Space Station captured this photo of Super-Typhoon Haiyan 
from space on Nov. 9, 2013. Credit: NASA/ISS/Karen Nyberg

Super-typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane on the U.S. Saffir-Simpson scale, struck central Philippines early last Friday morning with sustained winds estimated at 195 mph (315 kph) by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

Initial reports estimated that as many as 10,000 people were killed and thousands injured by the powerful storm.  Philippines President Benigno Aquino III is now quoted as saying the initial estimate was "too much".

Many governments and organizations are coming to the aide of the people of Philippines in the wake of the storm.   Among them are several cruise lines who employee many Filipinos on their staffs, many of whom have been away from their families and friends for many months.  This is a hard time for those separated from their loved ones.


Footage of Super Typhoon Haiyan from the International Space Station      

At the time of this writing, we are aware of the following cruise lines that have made statements and offered support.  The lines have all pledged financial support and are setting up means for passengers to contribute onboard the ships as well. 

ROYAL CARIBBEAN  

MIAMI – November 11, 2013 – Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) will join humanitarian relief efforts in response to the catastrophic damage caused by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, the company announced.

Our thoughts go out to those affected by the typhoon in the Philippines. We are working with World Vision to provide humanitarian relief. Learn more and find out how you can help: http://bit.ly/16Z6xiZ

Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Azamara passengers can contribute online at worldvision.org/royalcaribbean and www.worldvision.org/azamaraclubcruises. The company said its efforts to help the people of the Philippines would total $1 million.
 
NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE

November 11

Everyone at Norwegian Cruise Line is truly saddened to hear of the significant devastation in the Philippines caused by Typhoon Haiyan. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of our crew members from the Philippines who have been impacted.

We have been in constant contact with our partners in Manila, who are actively reaching out to contact crew members and their families ..See More

Norwegians Typhoon Haiyan Relief Fund

All of us at Norwegian Cruise Line are truly saddened to hear of the significant devastation in the Philippines caused by Typhoon Haiyan.  Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of our crew...Continue Reading ...

CARNIVAL CORPORATION

MIAMI, Nov. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Carnival Corporation & plc, its 10 cruise brands and the Carnival Foundation will team up with the two-time defending NBA Champion Miami HEAT in making a pledge to donate at least $1 million to support relief efforts in communities affected by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.  Miami HEAT owner Micky Arison is also the chairman of Carnival Corporation & plc. 

"All of us at Carnival and the Miami HEAT extend our deepest sympathy to the Philippines and its people," Arison said. "The typhoon in the Philippines has caused massive destruction, and is having a tragic impact on people and families, including those members of our extended Carnival family who reside in the region. We are in the process of evaluating a variety of worthy organizations that are doing fantastic work in the Philippines. In addition to providing financial support for relief efforts, our collective thoughts and prayers are with all of those who have been impacted."

Continue Reading...

COSTA CRUISES

November 11

Our thoughts and prayers are with all of those affected by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. Many members of the Costa family are from the Philippines, and to support them during this difficult time we will be donating $100,000 to help our Filipino crew members, their families and friends.

CRYSTAL CRUISES

November 11

All of our crew continue to appreciate your heartfelt messages regarding Typhoon Haiyan concerns. To date, we don’t have any verified info re damages, injuries or fatalities related to our crew, but admittedly communication is still difficult in some areas. NYK-FIL, our Philippines manning & recruiting agency, is helping crew with communications and locating family members, as well as reaching ...See More

     

More Links:

Philippines Government Gazette


Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Filipino community currently in the country, on cruise ships, or elsewhere across the globe. 

Costa Concorida Vertical

Concordia Upright Courtesy Parbuckling Project

19 Hour Project Completed

“The parbuckling operation has been successfully completed,” the Parbuckling Project’s official website said in an understated announcement at about 4 a.m. local time. “The wreck is now upright and resting safely on the specially built artificial sea bed, at a depth of approximately 30 meters.”

Shortly after 4 AM local time in Giglio, Italy,  there were shouts and claps for joy followed by the sound of a horn piercing the night's silence as the Costa Concordia reached full vertical.   Thanks to the marvels of modern technology, the ship was raised to this position and we were able to watch live on the internet.

There was joy amongst the workers of course, but there is also sorrow knowing that lives were lost on this very spot.  In fact, there are still 2 missing bodies that were never accounted for.   Prior to the parbuckling, there were hopes that those bodies would be found.  So far that has not been the case.

The entire parbuckling operation took 19 hours, longer than expected due to weather delays and stoppages dues to technical difficulties.   The final phase went quickly as gravity provided assistance.

COVERAGE FROM AROUND THE NET:

In this article, Yahoo has a collection of images that are emerging as daylight falls upon the now vertical Costa Concordia.   There are some amazing images, just as there were immediately following the tragedy 20 months ago.

They've Turned Over The Costa Concordia And The Pictures Are Nuts

In this BBC article, there is a time-lapse video of the parbuckling.  There are also several pictures from the morning after.   The night image didn't show the extent of the damage to the side of the vessel but that is made clear in daylight.  There is also graphics showing how the process was completed.

Costa Concordia: Stricken ship set upright in Italy (BBC)

Our article from yesterday has links to the official Parbuckling Project site and other useful information.

Parbuckling of Costa Concordia Begins

Parbuckling of Costa Concordia Begins

Dark Line on Costa Concordia Shows Movement  Source: Chicago Tribune
Watch Live

This image extracted from a live video of Costa Concordia's Parbuckling Procedure, which began today in Giglio, shows the slow process of righting the vessel.  The actual process started around 9 AM this morning after a storm delayed the start.

Related Links:

Attempt to right Costa Concordia cruise ship begins (USA Today)
Graphic on How Costa Concordia will be Raised

The Parbuckling Project: Concordia wreck removal project informative website

The overall project is 77% completed and is being carried out by a crew of 474 workers and 28 vessels and crafts on site. For a video and additional details of the salvage operation, see Costa Concordia Salvage Begins.

Main article: Costa Concordia Listing after Deadly Accident 

Updates from Parbuckling Website:       Multimedia Content

Please Note:   During the actual operations (daytime hours local Giglio time) you may experience problems accessing the Parbuckling Project's website.  It is best to view off-hours.

16 Sep 2013  4.20 P.M. The wreck side has been successfully dislodged from the reef by applying a maximum load of 6,000 tons (in line with forecast), thanks to the force exerted by the strand jacks operating the system of winches and steel chains.  The wreck has now rotated 10 degrees and will need to rotate at least as many before it has completed the first 20 degrees with reference to the initial position which is the approximate point at which the intake valves of the 11 sponsons attached to the port side of the hull reach sea level.

In the meantime the whole parbuckling system is being monitored constantly, with continuous checks – for example – of the condition of the strand jacks and chains, etc.

7.00 P.M.:The Titan Micoperi consortium announced that strandjack operations were temporarily suspended for an hour for maintenance work. It was in fact necessary to intervene with a dedicated team to avoid slack cables from interfering with the tensioned cables. The ‘Fast Response’ team is comprised of 8 people ready to intervene for checking purposes or in the event of anomalies. As foreseen by the operating and site procedures, access onboard was via a specifically positioned ladder, and safety checks were carried out. The team who intervened are all qualified to work on the wreck, are equipped with climbing gear and protective devices as necessary. Parbuckling operations have now resumed.

  Follow us on Facebook for Updates to this ongoing story.  We'll post links to images, videos, and news stories from various sources.

Parbuckling of Costa Concordia Approved

The Parbuckling Project: Concordia wreck removal project informative website

UPDATE 16 Sep 2013:

Parbuckling of Costa Concordia Begins 

Press release by Italian Civil Protection

According to the press release (6 Sep 2013), "The operation to right the ship Costa Concordia (known as “parbuckling”) has been given the go-ahead for this month: this was the outcome of a meeting convened in Rome today at the headquarters of the Civil Protection Department, by the Emergency Commissioner Franco Gabrielli, and attended by representatives from the Advisory Committee, the Observatory, the Micoperi-Titan Consortium and the cruise line Costa Crociere."   

Full Text of Press Release

Before the actual work takes place, authorities will need to review test certificates, inspect the structures, and complete preliminary activities.  No date for the actual parbuckling was given in the press release.

The overall project is 77% completed and is being carried out by a crew of 474 workers and 28 vessels and crafts on site. For a video and additional details of the salvage operation, see Costa Concordia Salvage Begins.

Main article: Costa Concordia Listing after Deadly Accident

Five Sentenced in Costa Concordia Shipwreck

Plea Bargains Accepted

Five defendants: Roberto Ferrarini, director of Costa Cruises' crisis unit, cabin service director Manrico Giampedroni, first officer Ciro Ambrosio, Indonesian helmsman Jacob Rusli Bin and third officer Silvia Coronica had their day in court.

Sentences ranged from 18 - 34 months.   It is unlikely that any of them will actually have to serve jail time as sentences less that 2 years are suspended in Italy and longer sentences can be appealed.

Costa Concordia jail sentences

• Roberto Ferrarini - two years and 10 months
• Manrico Giampedroni - two years and six months
• Ciro Ambrosio - one year and 11 months
• Jacob Rusli Bin - one year and eight months
• Silvia Coronica - one year and six months

These proceedings were separate from the main trial for Captain Schettino, which began this week as well.  Unlike this trial, which was short due to the acceptance of the plea bargain agreements, we expect a lengthy trial for him, given the amount of testimony and complexity of the case.

Ongoing Coverage

Watch Concordia Captain's Trial Finally Underway for updates on the legal proceedings.

We have been covering the entire Costa Concordia accident, including the cleanup and legal proceedings.   For complete details, see our anchor article:  Costa Concordia Listing after Deadly Accident

Meanwhile, salvage operations continue.  It is now expected that the parbuckling project can be completed by early September, 2013.   See our article:  Costa Concordia Salvage Begins

Concordia Captain's Trial Finally Underway

 Captain Francesco Schettino's

Trial Finally Begins

Eighteen months following the deadly accident off the coast of the Island of Giglio in Italy, the trial of  Captain Francesco Schettino has finally begun in the tiny Italian village of Grosseto.  The courtroom is in the local theater since the normal facilities would be too small.

Last week, the trial was delayed due to a nationwide strike by lawyers: Captain Schettino Gets Day in Court or Not

The entire world is watching as this trial continues.  Schettino is accused of three criminal charges: involuntary manslaughter for the deaths; causing a maritime disaster; and causing personal injury to 150 people who were badly hurt in the accident.

If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.  It is expected that if that does occur, his lawyers would request that be served under house arrest arrangements since there would be no risk of him repeating the offense (his captain days are over).

In addition to the criminal charges, there are 250 civil actions filed against the captain, all of which will be represented at the hearing.  Among the actions is one by Costa Crociere, the owner of the Concordia, which is suing the captain for causing the accident and destroying the Concordia.  Immediately after the accident, the cruise line distanced themselves from the captain, clearly indicating that they would take these actions against him.

29 October 13 Summary


Moldovan dancer, Domnica Cemortan, who was on the bridge when the Costa Concordia cruise ship crashed into a reef near Italy, killing 32 people, has testified at the captain's manslaughter trial that the two were lovers.

20 July 13 Summary

Four other officers and the crisis coordinator for the line will also be on trial this week.  They filed similar plea bargains in May and their hearing is to  begin this Saturday.

A court in Italy has convicted five people of manslaughter over the Costa Concordia shipwreck off Giglio island which killed 32 people in January 2012.  The plea bargains were accepted by the court.
Prison sentences ranged from 18 months to 34 months.  Five Sentenced in Costa Concordia Shipwreck

19 July 13 Summary

Just two days after the trial of Costa Concordia captain Francesco Schettino opened, it was adjourned until September 23 for the Italian court system's summer break.

17 July 13 Summary

Yesterday, defense lawyers for Schettino entered a plea bargain request where he would plead guilty in exchange for a 3 year 5 months sentence.  The prosecution voiced  opposition to the request, which is likely to be turned down by the court in a few days.

Names of the victims and how they died were read into the court's record as the trial began.

Ongoing Coverage

Watch this post for updates on the legal proceedings.

We have been covering the entire Costa Concordia accident, including the cleanup and legal proceedings.   For complete details, see our anchor article:  Costa Concordia Listing after Deadly Accident

Meanwhile, salvage operations continue.  It is now expected that the parbuckling project can be completed by early September, 2013.   See our article:  Costa Concordia Salvage Begins

Captain Schettino Gets Day in Court or Not

Costa Concordia Trial

Scheduled to Begin

July 9, 2013

It has been 18 months since the Costa Concordia accident which claimed the lives of 32 people off the coast of Giglio, Italy.  After pre-trial activities completed, including plea bargains for Costa Cruise Line, Captain Francesco Schettino arrived at the temporary "court house" in Grosseto, Tuscany ready for his day in court.

But Wait ...

As is customary in Europe, approaching labor strikes are pre-announced. As anticipated a nationwide Lawyers Strike, scheduled to start today, caused a delay in the Costa Concordia trial.   The judge had no choice but to delay the trial until July 17th.


Upset lawyers had called for a strike after the Prime Minister passed a decree attempting to streamline jury trials.  The PM accused the lawyers of blocking reforms. 

We have been covering the entire Costa Concordia accident, including the cleanup and legal proceedings.   For complete details, see our anchor article:  Costa Concordia Listing after Deadly Accident

Meanwhile, salvage operations continue.  It is now expected that the parbuckling project can be completed by early September, 2013.   See our article:  Costa Concordia Salvage Begins
 

Captain Schettino Trial Set for July

Captain Francesco Schettino, Captain of the Costa Concordia when it ran aground off the coast of Giglio, Italy, will stand trial in a hearing scheduled to begin July 9th in the Tuscan city of Grosseto.

Schettino is accused of multiple counts of manslaughter, causing the accident, and abandoning ship prematurely.  If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.

 According to his lawyer, prosecutors rejected a plea bargain offer from Schettino last month but accepted those of five other officials, including four ship's officers and the crisis coordinator of the vessel's owners, Costa Cruises.  A plea bargain was also accepted for the cruise line as we reported in our previous article:  Costa Fined - No Criminal Charges in Italy for Concordia.

The court also rejected new evidence which Schettino's lawyer indicated would "clarify" that there were other factors, beyond the captain's control, that factored into the accident.  

Related Blog Posts Regarding the Costa Concordia:


Costa Concordia Legal Update

Costa Concordia Listing after Deadly Accident
     

Costa Fined - No Criminal Charges in Italy for Concordia

Costa Cruises has made a €1 million ($1.3M) plea bargain settlement with an Italian court to limit its criminal liability for the capsizing of the Costa Concordia last January with the loss of 32 lives.  This move means that Costa Cruises will not face any more criminal charges and will now aim to participate in the forthcoming trial as an injured party opening the door for the company to seek damages for the loss of the ship.

A judge in Tuscany accepted the plea agreement for Costa Crociere, a division of Carnival Corporation in connection with the shipwreck off the island of Giglio in January 2012. 

Legal proceedings will continue Monday with a hearing to determine whether six of the line’s employees including Concordia captain, Francesco Schettino, and Mr Ferrarini, the company's crisis management chief.  Captain Schettino is expected to be indicted for multiple charges including manslaughter and abandoning ship before his passengers.

Although Costa Cruises has paid only €1 million in order to limit its criminal liability, the civil costs will be very much higher.  Costa still faces civil lawsuits by the relatives of passengers who drowned while trying to flee the ship, as well as by survivors who have turned down the firm’s starting offer of about €11,000 per person in compensation. Italian consumer group Codacons had advised passengers to reject the offer and instead called for a €125,000 minimum for each passenger.There has been at least one seven figure settlement already to the youngest victim of the shipwreck, a 5 year old boy.

Meanwhile, salvage operations continue off the cost of Giglio.   By late summer it is hoped that the ship will be floated off the rocks.

For Complete Coverage of this tragedy see the following blog post:

Costa Concordia Listing after Deadly Accident

Costa Concordia Anniversary

The Costa Concordia on Italy's Giglio island on Saturday.
Maurizio Brambatti / European Pressphoto Agency (January 12, 2013)

Still Submerged ...
One Year Later

Off the coast of Giglio Island in Italy lies the submerged hull of Costa Concordia.  It is a stark reminder of the events of that fateful night in mid January when Captain Francesco Schettino did a sail-by as he had done many times before.  This time, there would be human error and other factors contributing to the disaster.

32 lives were lost and countless lives altered in a matter of a few hours.   The ship, crew, and others are now the subject of investigation and court proceedings as well as a $400M salvage operation that is behind schedule.   It appears that the wreckage won't be removed completely until this Summer.

Reliving the Tragedy

As the anniversary approaches, the media has been interviewing survivors getting their thoughts about the events of that January night.  For some, it brings tears once again as they remember lost family and friends or perhaps the ordeal that they themselves went through.

Memorial Service      
           

(More CNN Coverage of Anniversary)

Meanwhile, as Giglio prepared for a religious service Sunday to mark the anniversary, including the release of 32 airborne lanterns to mourn the dead, Costa Crociere has told survivors among the 4,200 passengers and crew to avoid the island out of respect for those who died. The company says that there would not be enough space on the island to accommodate all the survivors of the wreck.

We're sure that the company meant well by making those remarks, but it hasn't sat well with the families who are trying to deal with the tragedy one year later.

We hope that the families and friends are able to find some comfort on this one year anniversary.   Please remember the survivors and those that died in your thoughts and prayers today.

Anchor Blog Article:  Costa Concordia Listing after Deadly Accident

Costa Concordia Nearly One Year Later

Credit: Roberto Vongher  courtesy Wikipedia

 The Grim Reminder

Salvage of the Costa Concordia continues one year after the deadly accident where 30 people lost their lives during what should have been a routine sailing past Giglio, Italy.

As the ship lays on it's side, 60 Minutes visited the ship for a close up look at the salvage activities. They used special drone cameras, barges, small vessels, and several other cameras to capture the onboard experience almost a year later.

Watch this video to see some highlights of their visit.
A 60 Minutes crew delved inside the wrecked Costa Concordia to bring the first look
inside the cruise liner since it sank in January last year, killing 32 people.
More coverage from CBS News:   Costa Concordia: Salvaging a shipwreck


Impact of the Tragedy 

The clock onboard Costa Concordia is frozen in time reflecting the moment when the ship lost power. Earlier that day, passengers were anxiously awaiting the start of their holiday at sea as they boarded the ship. Little did they know that for some of their fellow passengers, these were some of their final moments here on earth.

There are many tangible and intangible impacts of this accident. Obviously, there's the cost of the rescue and salvage operations, the medical, funeral, and insurance costs to families and cruise lines. The rescue and salvage costs are proving to be much larger than even predicted several months ago. The ecosystem off this Italian coastal community has suffered losses that can't easily be measured.

Costa Cruises and parent company, Carnival Corporation were at the forefront of the industry losses, but the impact was far reaching and continues to have an impact as measures are taken across the industry to put additional safeguards in place.

For the families directly impacted by the loss of loved ones or injuries, there is emotional costs in addition to the tangible expenses. It is hard to imagine the grief that they feel. Even this article will bring back memories for those that were traumatized by the event. Our heart reaches out to all that were impacted.

Moving Forward

The cruise industry has an excellent safety record, even counting this accident and that of the Titanic one hundred years earlier.   As mentioned, CLIA, and other international over-seeing bodies, have conducted investigations and made recommendations for safety improvements as a result of the accident. We can perhaps take some solace that out of the darkness emerged some good as a result.

The industry held its breath wondering what the reaction would be by the cruising public.   It turns out that those that have sailed before, continue to sail, and many new passengers have experienced a cruise for the first time since that chilly day in January last year.  There is a large percentage of the population (close to 80%) that still hasn't cruised, so the cruise lines continue to expand their inventories to accommodate the expected growth.

There will undoubtedly be a resurgence in press coverage as we get closer to the actual anniversary.  We will continue our coverage and attempt to find representative information to share with you.

Anchor Blog Article:  Costa Concordia Listing after Deadly Accident

Expert Findings Released on Costa Concordia

Costa Concordia & Lifeboats    Courtesy Wikipedia Commons

Expert Panel

Reports Findings

Concordia Tragedy

The panel of experts, that were appointed by the Italian courts to review evidence in the events of the January 14th tragedy which took the lives of 32 people, have released their findings to the court.   A 270 page document was filed with the court on Tuesday and published by Italian media on Thursday.

Captain, Crew, & Costa Cruises to Blame

As expected, the primary blame for the tragic accident falls on Captain Schettino, who has already been condemned in the media as "Captain Coward" and other names. He is charged with several counts including negligent homicide, causing a shipwreck, and abandoning ship before the complete evacuation of the 4,200 passengers and crew. He claims he was commanding the situation from the life boats and denies any wrongdoing.

In the report, the panel also puts blame on the crew for "blunders, delays and security breaches that contributed to the disaster". Early reports from passengers had indicated that the crew was disorganized during the evacuation, which seems to validate the findings.

Costa Crociere, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation plc, is accused of "delaying the emergency alert sent to coastal authorities". In a statement, Costa placed the blame on Francesco Schettino, the ship’s captain: "It is also clear from the records that the communication made by the Master to the crisis department were on the whole not timely, partial and confused, not allowing it to scale a clear perception of the seriousness of what was actually happening."

In response to allegations that the crew was inadequately trained, Costa said: “The alleged defects in the certifications of some of the crew concern only a few individuals who are not key to emergency management”.

A court hearing is scheduled for October 15th to determine if the captain and any of the co-defendants should be put on trial. 

Continuing Coverage

Salvage operations are underway to remove the ship from the coastline of Giglio, Italy.  That operation, which began in June, will last about a year according to current estimates.

We continue to follow all the events around this tragic accident in our anchor article:

Costa Concordia Listing after Deadly Accident

Costa Concordia Salvage Begins

See photos of the salvage plan

Titan Salvage of Pompano Beach and its Italian partner Micoperi were awarded the Costa Concordia salvage operations back in April.  Plans called for the salvage teams to upright and remove the  114,500-ton ship which ran aground January 13, 2012, off the coast of Giglio, Italy, taking the lives of 30 people, two of which remain missing to this day, more than five months later.

Main article: Costa Concordia Listing after Deadly Accident

As salvage begins, let's take another look at what happened that fateful night in January:
Graphic: The final moments of the Costa Concordia

The Parbuckling Project: Concordia wreck removal project informative website Re-floating Concordia    Courtesy: Parbuckling Project UPDATE: 13 July 2014: Refloating to commence:  Costa Concordia the Final Journey UPDATE 03 July 2014: Costa Crociere: installation of all sponsons completed, ten days to possible refloating Genoa, Italy has been selected to receive the vessel for salvage “Following installation of the last sponson, we can start the countdown to refloating and final departure of the wreck from Giglio Island,” said Costa Crociere CEO Michael Thamm. “Now all our energies are focused on the successful conclusion of this unprecedented engineering challenge to respect a precise commitment: remove the Concordia wreck as soon as possible, in compliance with the highest environmental and safety standards.” Watch footage from Italian police divers in the sunken ship just before it is scheduled to be towed:  Inside Costa Concordia Now & Before

Update: July 9, 2013 - Project 68% Completed

The engineers of the Titan-Micoperi consortium confirm that the "parbuckling” of the Concordia can be completed by the end of summer 2013, at the beginning of September.

Update: Sept. 6, 2013 - Parbuckling of Costa Concordia Approved

The Parbuckling Project: Concordia wreck removal project informative website UPDATE 16 Sep 2013: Parbuckling of Costa Concordia Begins  Watch Live Costa Concordia Parbuckling project has begun. Watch Live: http://mashable.com/2013/09/16/costa-concordia-salvage-video/ Latest Image from Parbuckling Project Site    10 PM Central 16 Sep - Concordia is Upright Graphic on How Costa Concordia will be Raised    Civil Protection Gallery 16 Sep Parbuckling Project Multimedia Parbuckling phase - update on the beginning of operations 17 Sep 2013 The morning after In this BBC article, there is a time-lapse video of the parbuckling.  There are also several pictures from the morning after.   The night image didn't show the extent of the damage to the side of the vessel but that is made clear in daylight.  There is also graphics showing how the process was completed. Costa Concordia: Stricken ship set upright in Italy (BBC) 14 Dec 2013 - Costa Concordia Stable / Winterizing in Progress According to the press release issued by the salvage companies, The Concordia is stable: after the minor movements registered in the 15 days following the parbuckling the wreck has settled on the platform and seabed. Since then, the monitoring systems active 24/7 have not indicated any significant movement. The winterization operations are almost completed and the last details will be finished next week.  The next phase: Installation of caissons on starboard side then other 15 refloating sponsons will be attached to the starboard side of the wreck. These caissons will be used during the subsequent re-floating stage. It is anticipated that this next phase will begin in April, 2014.   The caissons and sponsons are being built in Genoa and Livorno shipyards.

Update: 60 Minutes takes you inside the salvage operations



Update:  Salvage to continue through Spring 2013 
Costa Concordia Wreck Removal Engineering Plan Presented to the Osservatorio (14 Aug 2012)

Raising the Costa Concordia: Italian sunseekers look on as salvage team start

The following schedule, provided by the salvage companies to the SunSentinel in Florida, calls for the work to be completed approximately one year from the award of the contract.


Schedule of Salvage Operations

• Site inspections of the Concordia through July 31
• securing and stabilizing of the ship by Aug. 31
• installation of caissons (watertight chambers) on left side of ship and construction of submarine platforms done by Nov. 15 
• rotation of the wreck to start with installation of boxes on the ship's right side on Dec. 1
• ship to be up-righted by Jan. 15 and 
• delivered to an Italian port by Jan. 31
• cleaning and replanting of marine flora to be completed at site by April 30

 Source: SunSentinel - Costa Concordia salvage work begins

Costa Fascinosa Delivered

Costa Fascinosa 

A New Beginning 

Click for Video & Images

It has been a tough year for Costa Cruises and their passengers, but as the line launched its latest flagship over the weekend, officials hoped the 3,800-passenger Costa Fascinosa will mark a new chapter for the line following the Concordia disaster. They have released a video (click image above) that reflects on Costa's history since 1948 marking various milestones - primarily new ship launches.

"The delivery of Costa Fascinosa is an important stepping stone on our company's road to recovery," said Costa Chairman and CEO Pier Luigi Foschi during a ceremony marking the formal delivery of the new ship.  He continued "It is confirmation that the long-term fundamentals of our business remain strong, and we will continue to work for our customers, offering them even better cruises on fantastic ships like Costa Fascinosa."

Shipbuilder Fincantieri officially handed Costa Fascinosa over to Costa Cruises at the Venice Passenger Terminal. Along with sister ship Costa Favolosa, it is the largest Italian-flagged cruise ship afloat.  The delivery ceremony was attended by Italy’s Minister of Tourism Piero Gnudi, and his daughter Elsa served as godmother of the new 114,500-ton, 3,800-guest flagship.

Costa Cruises invested US$668.8 million (510 million euros) in Costa Fascinosa. Construction of the ship at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard involved the labor of approximately 3,000 yard workers plus 7,000 more people employed by about 500 contracted suppliers, most of them Italian firms.

“Costa Fascinosa is the living proof of the progress and the results achieved by two great
Italian industries jointly contributing to spread a positive image of ‘Made in Italy’ around the
world,” said Giuseppe Bono, chief executive officer of Fincantieri. “We are most pleased to
have contributed to the success of Costa, an Italian company which proudly flies the Italian flag.”

Costa Fascinosa sets sail from Venice on a preview cruise May 6, bound for Slovenia, Trieste, Italy, and Croatia, and will host the 19th edition of the “Champions of the Sea,” an annual event celebrating Costa Cruises’ best travel agent partners from around the world. On May 11 the ship departs Venice on its inaugural cruise, a 10-day itinerary to Greece, Israel and Turkey. 

For the 2012 summer season until the end of November, Costa Fascinosa will operate seven-day cruises from Venice and Bari, It flagship will be in South America on cruises calling at Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay.

For summer 2013 the ship will return to the eastern Mediterranean, sailing weeklong vacations to Greece and Turkey with departures from Venice and Bari.

We'll bring you more information about the new flagship in futures articles.  We wish Costa Cruises well as this new ship takes to the seas.  We hope that it can be a new beginning following the tragic events earlier this year.

Costa Concordia Removal Plans

Removal Contract Awarded 
 Refloat & Tow Concordia

Costa Concordia Salvage Begins

Costa Crociere and the Costa Concordia Emergency Commissioner's Office announced that the tender for the removal of the ship from Giglio Island has been awarded to Titan Salvage in partnership with the Italian firm Micoperi. The work will begin in early May subject to final approval from the Italian authorities and is expected to take about 12 months.

Titan Salvage is an American-owned specialist marine salvage and wreck removal company, part of the Crowley Group, and is a world leader in its field. Micoperi is a well-known Italian marine contractor with a long history as a specialist in underwater construction and engineering.

Main Objectives:

• Minimal risk
• Minimal environmental impact, 
• Protection of Giglio's economy and tourism industry
• Maximum safety of the work

"We are very pleased to announce another important step toward salvaging the wreck from Giglio Island," said Costa Crociere S.p.A. Chairman & CEO Pier Luigi Foschi. "As was the case with the removal of the fuel, we have sought to identify the best solution to safeguard the island and its marine environment and to protect its tourism. We would like also to thank Smit Salvage and Tito Neri for succeeding in defueling and caretaking operations."

Salvage Crew Based in Civitavecchia 

The plan also includes measures to safeguard the island of Giglio's tourism and wider economy. Salvage workers' presence will not have any significant impact on the availability of hotel accommodation on the island during the summer season. The main operating base will be located on the mainland at nearby Civitavecchia, where equipment and materials will be stored, thereby avoiding any impact on Giglio's port activities.

Once floated, the wreck will be towed to an Italian port and dealt with in accordance with the requirements of the Italian authorities.

Costa Crociere, Carnival Corporation & plc, London Offshore Consultants, and the Standard P&I Club formulated the plans by reviewing  bids from six companies. The Titan Salvage/Micoperi proposal best fulfilled the main objectives stated above. Once the main work is complete, the sea bottom will be cleaned and marine flora replanted.

Overall updates of the Costa Concordia disaster are being made on the following blog post:   

Costa Concordia Listing after Deadly Accident