US response to survivors?

[sr5242]

http://www.dallasvoice.com/watch-gay-couple-texas-aboard-sinking-costa-concordia-cruise-ship-1098893.html

 

This article seems to indicate the US has been slow to assist the US survivors, has anyone heard anything definitive?

[njhorseman]

This one story proves nothing. For all we know there may be 100 other US passengers who got immediate help from the US embassy. The people with complaints are going to be the ones seeking out the media to publicize their gripe. (And the media are going to seek them out, because sensationalism and bad news are what attracts viewers and sell newspapers.)

[tntornadox]

Leave it to a Texan news source to find it necessary to put their sexual orientation in the title like it makes a difference...

 

I have heard of US Embassy officials being in contact with other Americans, but I dunno...

[Activated95b]

The US Embassy will ass ist stranded Americans by giving them temporary or replacement passports and loaning them the money to return home. This assistance is faster is the embassy knows you are there before the incident. My question is: Did the people who were complaining go to the State Department website and register themselves as going to be in Italy for the dates of their vacation? If you have registered then the US embassy will start the process the moment they learn of the emergency and not wait for you to contact them first.

[mcrcruiser]

http://www.dallasvoice.com/watch-gay-couple-texas-aboard-sinking-costa-concordia-cruise-ship-1098893.html

 

This article seems to indicate the US has been slow to assist the US survivors, has anyone heard anything definitive?

 

They were reached by the US Embassy in rome acording to the report:). There is no doubt in our mind that the US embassy authorities will do every thing possible to help the American passengers to return home in a timely manner;).Perhaps some Americans will get the extra monies wired to them & they may stay to see Rome & its arti facts:rolleyes:

 

The peoples own trip insurance can take over when they return home , for all the extra costs they incurred (trip delay ,trip interruption,medical costs ,luggage lost ie)

[tntornadox]

Better yet, have they contacted the US Embassy? Just because it's MLK Day, I highly doubt the Embassy is closed.

 

EDIT: ^ Ah, very good then.

[njhorseman]

Leave it to a Texan news source to find it necessary to put their sexual orientation in the title like it makes a difference...

 

I have heard of US Embassy officials being in contact with other Americans, but I dunno...

 

It has nothing to do with Texas. Take a careful look at the Web site...it states right on the top of the page "The Premier Media Source for LGBT Texas". Could just as easily be NY, Iowa, Florida, whatever.

[Fury1995]

It has nothing to do with Texas. Take a careful look at the Web site...it states right on the top of the page "The Premier Media Source for LGBT Texas". Could just as easily be NY, Iowa, Florida, whatever.

 

I was just going to say the same thing. It's an LGBT website that focuses on those issues.

[ukbecky]

The article says they were given blankets then the blankets were taken away when the cameras left.

 

Really??

 

Why would anyone do that? Does Costa just hate refugees? Sounds too extreme to be entirely true...

[tntornadox]

Ah, very well then, I hereby retract my prior statement.

[Cruzin-K]

Better yet, have they contacted the US Embassy? Just because it's MLK Day, I highly doubt the Embassy is closed.

 

EDIT: ^ Ah, very good then.

 

 

Just to point out that yes, U.S. embassies overseas do observe U.S. Federal holidays and it would have been closed today. I would imagine though, that with a disaster like this, the pertinent staff would have been working over the weekend.

 

I wonder what day the affected couple arrived in Rome :confused:

[tntornadox]

Just to point out that yes, U.S. embassies overseas do observe U.S. Federal holidays and it would have been closed today. I would imagine though, that with a disaster like this, the pertinent staff would have been working over the weekend.

 

I wonder what day the affected couple arrived in Rome :confused:

 

That is what I meant, given the disaster, I highly doubt there weren't Embassy personnel running around everywhere.

[mainelycruising]

I expect the US is awaiting the oening of Wall Street tomorrow to find out if its shares are worth selling...or hold....

 

Where exactly is Micky Arison? He can hide only so long.

[klc]

I expect the US is awaiting the oening of Wall Street tomorrow to find out if its shares are worth selling...or hold....

 

Where exactly is Micky Arison? He can hide only so long.

 

His statement was issued this morning:

 

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=200767&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1648230&highlight=

[ducklite]

Just to point out that yes, U.S. embassies overseas do observe U.S. Federal holidays and it would have been closed today. I would imagine though, that with a disaster like this, the pertinent staff would have been working over the weekend.

 

I wonder what day the affected couple arrived in Rome :confused:

 

All embassies have an after hours emergency number that would be answered, even on Federal holidays.

[ducklite]

I expect the US is awaiting the oening of Wall Street tomorrow to find out if its shares are worth selling...or hold....

 

Where exactly is Micky Arison? He can hide only so long.

 

I'm guessing he's holed up with Casey Anthony...

[wrp96]

One article I read either on the BBC or Reuters quoted an embassy official from either Britain or Australia talking about representatives of all the embassies being on the ground in the port on the mainland the survivors were originally taken to after they left Giglio. They listed many countries including the US having representatives there, and specifically mentioned that over 60 countries had representatives there.

 

I've also seen tv reports showing US citizens arriving home already, so I somehow doubt the US was that slow to help her own citizens.