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Off topic but: Thousands rescued as cruise ship runs aground.

Sandielle

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Kiwi Kruzer

Kiwi Kruzer

Posted
Posted

The ship has become the Largest Passenger Ship Lost In Peace Time In 100 Years...

 

Statement from Costa......appears they are admitting/eluding to human error ?

 

Sunday, January 15th 2012

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. Time 8.15 pm (CET)

We at Costa Cruises are deeply saddened by this tragedy, and our hearts and prayers go out to everyone affected.

 

Over the past 48 hours, more than 1,100 Costa employees have been working tirelessly in the wake of this terrible event. We are working closely with the authorities to support ongoing search-and-rescue operations, and are focusing on ensuring that all guests and crewmembers return home safely.

 

Our immediate priority is to account for all passengers and crew, and to secure the vessel to ensure that there are no environmental impacts. We have engaged the services of a top specialized salvage company to develop an action plan and help establish a protection perimeter around the ship. It should be noted that the Prosecutor has seized the ship and the DVR— the so-called “black box” containing all navigation data — and the vessel can be accessed by Costa only with permission from the authorities.

 

We are working with investigators to find out precisely what went wrong aboard the Costa Concordia. While the investigation is ongoing, preliminary indications are that there may have been significant human error on the part of the ship’s master, Captain Francesco Schettino, which resulted in these grave consequences. The route of the vessel appears to have been too close to the shore, and in handling the emergency the captain appears not to have followed standard Costa procedures. We are aware that the lead Prosecutor has leveled serious accusations against the ship’s captain, who joined Costa Crociere in 2002 as a safety officer and was appointed captain in 2006.

 

In light of these accusations and the continuing investigation, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further at this time.

 

As we are learning more about the event and the evacuation, however, it is becoming clear that the crew of the Costa Concordia acted bravely and swiftly to help evacuate more than 4,000 individuals during a very challenging situation. We are very grateful for all they have done.

 

Costa is committed to ensuring that no such incident ever occurs again. Our number-one priority is always the safety and security of our guests and crew, and we comply with all safety regulations. (See background on Costa safety below).

 

Background on Costa’s Commitment to Safety

 

Costa complies very strictly with all safety regulations and our personnel are committed, first and foremost, to guest safety and security.

 

All crewmembers hold a BST (Basic Safety Training) certificate and are trained and prepared in emergency management and to assist passengers abandoning the ship with numerous drills.Roles, responsibilities and duties are clearly assigned to all crewmembers. Every two weeks all crewmembers perform a ship evacuation simulation. A lifeboat and evacuation drill for all guests is conducted within 24 hours of embarking, as required by law. Costa has a computerized system that ensures all passengers undergo this drill.

 

The skills of Costa crew are periodically tested by Coast Guard authorities and an independent classification organization, per SMS (Safety Management Systems) requirements.

 

There are lifeboats and jackets on board in excess of the number required for all passengers and crew. Lifeboats are equipped with food and water supplies, first-aid kits and communication and signaling equipment. All life-saving appliances meet international standards and are subject to close, regular inspection by shipboard personnel and certification authorities. All Costa ships are certified by RINA and have been built to the highest standards and technologies.

 

 

 

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lizzy77

lizzy77

Posted
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Hmmm. Reading that statement David I can only shake my head and say they sure are blaming the captain even before they know all the facts!!

Yes he may be totally to blame but - they have totally hung him out to dry!!

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rugbypopsie

rugbypopsie

Posted
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I think in all probability there will be lessons learnt from this tragedy. It would appear there have been a number of monumental stuff ups..but for me the most important lesson is "panic kills".

 

The idea behind passengers mustering inside is not just comfort but to try to have orderly loading of lifeboats..can you imagine what the decks were like with thousands of terrified passengers charging around.

 

Human nature being what it is I think it is impossible to make passengers follow the rules..but if you want to survive any emergency keeping a clear head and making sure you have all the information you need to survive is important.

 

this tragedy will not for a moment make me more concerned about cruising...I am in more danger every time I step into a car, bus or train.

 

Sue

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Kiwi Kruzer

Kiwi Kruzer

Posted
Posted
Hmmm. Reading that statement David I can only shake my head and say they sure are blaming the captain even before they know all the facts!!

Yes he may be totally to blame but - they have totally hung him out to dry!!

 

The whole thing is becoming more and more incredible.

I just read another report where the local coastguard ordered the Captain back to his ship to help with the rescue , and he refused.:eek:

 

 

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Sandielle

Sandielle

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The whole thing is becoming more and more incredible.

I just read another report where the local coastguard ordered the Captain back to his ship to help with the rescue , and he refused.:eek:

 

OMG! Whatever the outcome, I don't think he will be placed in command of another ship. Mud sticks.

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Australian family

Australian family

Posted
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Hmmm. Reading that statement David I can only shake my head and say they sure are blaming the captain even before they know all the facts!!

Yes he may be totally to blame but - they have totally hung him out to dry!!

 

Very good point, why would you as a company lay the blame straight away at the captain, until investigations are carried out.:eek::eek:

 

To me that shows how unprofessional Costa Cruises are. A bit like shooting someone and asking questions later.

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Sutho

Sutho

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The Costa statement looks carefully worded but it is very clear that this ships sinking was a result of the course it took towards the island resulting in a collission and they are more than likely going to charge the Captain and his officers. With the ships navigational data being recovered it will show the whole truth about what has happened. I dare say that initial readings of that data indicate that already and Costa and the authorities in Italy are being carefull about what they say about him.

 

Apart from that the Costa Concordia is now history and will probably be broken up and scrapped where it lies. I wonder if they will send salvage teams to recover personal effects of passengers in the dry cabins in order to save insurance and cash payouts. With gross negligence being alleged it will make Costa more liable for damages.

 

I wonder how long it will take for modelling companies to produce the Costa Concordia model to sell.

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thied

thied

Posted
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Here is some photos of inside the ship and out side the ship and many others

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2086831/Costa-Concordia-cruise-ship-pictures-Trapped-survivor-Manrico-Giampedroni-airlifted-safety.html

 

 

PHOTO'S at

 

http://www.google.com.au/search?q=costa+concordia+sinking+pictures&hl=en&prmd=imvnsu&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=cosTT4zPK-udmQXC8oCBCg&sqi=2&ved=0CEoQsAQ&biw=1680&bih=821

 

 

 

 

Italian Coast Guard personnel recover the black box from the Costa Condordia cruise ship that ran aground off the west coast of Italy

 

 

article-2086831-0F764CF400000578-259_964x614.jpg

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thied

thied

Posted
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But Costa CEO Pier Luigi Foschi said the ship had never been closer than 500 metres to the island.

 

However, the Lloyd's List shipping journal says its satellite tracking information puts the ship within 230 metres of the island in August - even closer than the accident site.

 

"I think what we've discovered with this data is that the company's account of what happened, of the rogue master taking a bad decision, isn't quite as black and white as they presented originally," editor Richard Meade said.

 

"This ship took a very similar route only a few months previously and the master would have known that.

 

"Now the master's account of the thing is that there were no rocks in his way, this was a perfectly safe route, the ship had done this before, and this evidence really does stack that up."

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-19/captain-claims-he-fell-into-lifeboat/3781876

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Bella cruiser

Bella cruiser

Posted
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Wow, they all "fell" into the same lifeboat, must have been very slippery.

 

Disgusting cowards, the best they could come up with is that pathetic excuse.:mad: Apparently they had to wait for an hour for their lifeboat to be launched, you'd think they would have managed to climb out in that time.

 

They are also reporting on the Costa board that the first thing the Captain did when he reached the shore was to find a taxi to take him to buy socks....What the....

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Sandielle

Sandielle

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I have not read this anywhere yet,

but heard on the radio.....

 

In the same lifeboat as the Captain ,were the 2nd and 3rd Officers:eek:

 

They must have tripped and fell into the lifeboat as well:rolleyes:

 

 

LOL, maybe they were trying to "save" the captain!

 

PS Where was the 1st Officer? Also his wife and daughter who was supposed to be on the ship?

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thied

thied

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The US-owned cruise line that operated the Costa Concordia says it has opened talks on compensation with the survivors of last week's shipwreck, as attention switched from the role of the captain to that of his employer.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/19/costa-concordia-captain-francesco-schettino

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thied

thied

Posted
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Mystery’ ballerina wanted over role in Costa Concordia sinking defends captain

 

 

CHISINAU — A 25-year-old mystery woman reportedly named as a key witness over the role of the captain of the doomed Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia on Thursday strongly defended Francesco Schettino’s actions, saying he saved thousands of lives.

 

Blonde ballerina Domnica Cemortan, who has dual Moldovan and Romanian citizenship, said she was dining with friends at the time of the disaster and denied that the captain was also having drinks on deck.

 

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/01/19/moldovan-ballerina-sought-in-connection-with-costa-concordia-captain-defends-schettinos-actions/

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thied

thied

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Schettino made his bizarre excuse for leaving the ship during a three-hour court hearing in the mainland town of Grosseto before his release.

He told investigating magistrate Valeria Montesarchio: ‘The passengers were rushing all over the decks trying to scramble into the lifeboats. I didn’t even have a life jacket because I had given it to one of the passengers – I was trying to get them into the lifeboats in an orderly fashion. All of a sudden the boat listed between 60-70 degrees. I tripped and ended up in one of the lifeboats. That’s why I was in there.’

Schettino's behaviour has already been called into question after dramatic audio tapes revealed how a furious harbour official had ordered him back on to the bridge to oversee the rescue, after he was shocked to learn he had already left the Concordia despite dozens of passengers still needing help.

The claims come as rescue divers suspended their search after the ship slipped 'a few more centimetres' from its rocky resting place, sparking fears it could soon plummet 100m down to the bottom of the sea.

 

 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2087704/Costa-Concordia-Captain-Francesco-Schettino-I-left-I-FELL-lifeboat.html#ixzz1jwfdb1fK

 

 

 

article-2087704-0F80269000000578-503_472x684.jpg

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thied

thied

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THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — From raising the Russian nuclear submarine Kursk to securing drilling platforms wrenched loose by Hurricane Katrina, Dutch companies have a long history of mopping up after maritime disasters.

 

The Rotterdam-based Smit Salvage has not yet won the contract to salvage the $450 million Costa Concordia cruise ship now lying on its side on Italy's rocky Tuscan coast. Still, it is expected to start pumping half a million gallons of fuel off the stricken ship over the coming days.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/salvage-experts-weigh-options-concordia-182214890.html

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thied

thied

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Rescue workers searching the wreck of a luxury ship clutched onto glimmers of hope on Friday that they may still find survivors a week after the tragedy which left 32 people feared dead.

 

Relatives of those still missing from a stricken Italian cruise ship laid flowers on the sea at the scene as coast guard officials said there was still a slim possibility of finding trapped passengers in some parts of the ship.

 

And as more stories of bravery emerged from the disaster, the ship's chaplain said captain Francesco Schettino - since reviled as an incompetent coward - had "cried like a baby" in his arms once on shore.

 

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8406495

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