Terror in the darkness: At least eight dead and 3,000 panicked passengers evacuated a

[bickern]

ıt makes you wonder how this can happen nowadays with all the technology. I know it takes a lot to slow these ships down but they have bow thrusters etc for tight manouvres.

Were the crew half asleep or what? I suppose we will have to wait for full story but hopefully more are not dead.

At least eight people were killed and more than 4,000 passengers and crew were rescued last night after a packed cruise liner began sinking off the Italian coast after running aground.

In 2010, a Costa ship crashed into a pier in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh during a storm, leaving three crew members dead.

Read more: Costa Concordia: Massive evacuation underway after cruise ship starts sinking off Italian coast | Mail Online

 

[scotssteve]

Good luck to all passengers and crew - they must have been terrified

 

[Harem]

I can't begin to imagine the horror (and have no wish to experience it). My thoughts are with all those killed and injured in this awful accident.

 

[shirleyanntr]

what a nightmare for those poor people and in the dark too
i often think about the zeebruge ferry that capsized that was dreadful also in the dark
but this was a massive liner i wonder how it could happen

 

[bickern]

Well, at least only 3 have been found to have died so far because it could have been worse if it had been further out to sea.

 

[tykatem]

In 2010, a Costa ship crashed into a pier in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh during a storm, leaving three crew members dead.

Seems as though the company in question has a history of such incidents – don’t they learn from previous mistakes??????????????:

October 2010: Costa Classica collided with the Belgian-flagged vessel near the deep water channel of the Yangtze River as it returned to Shanghai from Cheju, Korea. Several passengers reported to the infirmary with minor injuries. Three passengers were sent ashore for further medical checks. Images at the time showed a gash along the starboard side of Costa Classica that stretched about 20 metres.

June 2008: Costa Classica and MSC Poesia collided in the Adriatic Sea near Dubrovnik. after the anchor line became slack on Costa Classica and she went adrift. There were no injuries, and the damage was minimal. Both vessels continued on their scheduled itinerary with no delays.

Pete

 

[Sunny Seasider]

Absolute nightmare for all those passengers and crew.

 

[kemerkid]

The sea cruise scenario has never appealed to me in the first place but over the last fifteen years or so the ships seem to be growing out of all proportion. The expert on the BBC news bulletin suggested that ships are designed to stay upright whatever happens. Clearly the gap between textbook design and reality have drifted somewhat. I don’t know where in the scale the ships that dock at Bodrum fit in but they look to me as though there is far too much out of the water than in. when you see these ships safely moored at the dockside is not the same as when you see them sailing in open water as you can in Istanbul from the ferry when they are close. If you were building a fifteen story plus building on dry land there would be enormous foundations and if this was in the London basin which is only one stage above quicksand, they would drive twenty metre concrete piles into the ground. These ships are not built on very firm foundations but bob about supported by fluid. As they said when the Titanic went down ‘it’s never done that before’
All of the above is not to say that I am not sympathetic to the dead or the survivors, I am but they are not in control and heed the word of the owners of these monstrosities.

 

[oldfogy]

4229 including crew and passengers. of which approximately were 24 british nationals believed to have been on board.

Up-to 70 passengers still unaccounted for, but unfortunately still only 3 confirmed dead. (2 French passengers and 1 Peruvian crew member)

Foreign office help line, 0207 008 1500

 

[skydog]

Worse things happen at sea........ erm o|--)

 

[Akasya]

It would appear that a perambulating lighthouse jumped out at the last minute.

Steve.

 

[bickern]

Captain arrested amid growing anger after Italian cruise ship runs aground

Francesco Schettino investigated for manslaughter and abandoning ship after three die and 41 unaccounted for

 

[mollag]

Latest on the news

Costa CEO: captain made unapproved, unauthorized maneuver to change ship's programmed course.

Now me no a sailor but isnt it the Captains job to authorise and approve maneuvers?

Perhaps he could have consulted with a steward.

 

[kemerkid]

This is tragic and I do not have a morbid interest in the incident but looking at the pictures and the map showing the ships course and final resting place do not add up. The ships intended course was north and the ship is laying with the bow facing south. This is easy to confirm by visiting Google earth. Maybe the ship swung round after the collision, who knows. The other odd fact is that the gash in the hull is out of the water, one would expect it to be on the submerged side. These two observations could however be linked, it could be that the forward motion of the ship on impact or by deliberately steering the ship to port caused the water inside the hull to shift to starboard as with the Herald of Free Enterprise channel ferry in 1987.

Having gone back to the BBC site they now have updated the maps which show exactly what I have suggested but the ship sailed on another half mile before turning and capsizing. This event now looks like serious crew error as the rocks that the ship hit are only 250 metres from the shore of the island and there is 14 Kms of clear water between the island and the mainland. The captain will have to take the full responsibility for this whatever happens. A tragedy that need not have happened.

 

[TCJ]

The captain of the cruise ship has admitted that the sinking was due to his error. He further says that he was in the lifeboat because he accidently slipped and fell into it. Hmmm.

 

[bickern]

Yes, the captain, 2nd and 3rd officers were all in the same boat, I take it they all tripped up and fell in. I would laugh if it wasn't a serious subject.

I really hope this guy gets the full brunt of what can be thrown at him.

A 5yr old is still missing amongst others and one imagines they are all dead by now.

 

[kemerkid]

The sad part of this event would seem to be the captains final mistake which was steering the ship to port. In my opinion, had he have not done that the ship might well have gracefully sunk to the bottom allowing time for everyone to get into the lifeboats whilst the ship was still upright.

 

[turtleshead2009]

The sad part of this event would seem to be the captains final mistake which was steering the ship to port. In my opinion, had he have not done that the ship might well have gracefully sunk to the bottom allowing time for everyone to get into the lifeboats whilst the ship was still upright.

Mistake??????

This idiot delibrately steered the ship too close to land because he wanted to wave at a colleague ashore. I have read the transcript of the conversation between the coastguard and this clown and it shows him as a cowardly criminal disgrace. Will try and post the link

 

[bickern]

I think kemerkid means after the accident he steered the ship to the port. where it ran aground and then inclined.

Transcript Of Captain's Row With Coastguard.

DF: Hello. I am… Commander.

FS: Good evening, Commander.

DF: I am Di Falco from Livorno. Am I speaking with the Commander?

FS: Yes. Good evening Commander Di Falco.

DF: Please tell me your name.

FS: I am Commander Schettino, Commander.

DF: Schettino?

FS: Yes.

DF: Listen Schettino. There are people who are trapped on board. Now you go with your lifeboat under the bow. There is a Jacob's ladder. You go up that ladder and get on board the ship. You go on board and you then tell me how many people there are. Is this clear? I am recording this conversation, Commander Schettino.

FS: Right, Commander. I have to tell you something.

DF: Speak loudly.

FS: The ship now…

DF: Commander, please speak loudly. Put your hand round the microphone and speak loudly. [Background talking possibly between FS and people with him but unclear]

FS: Commander, right now, the ship is inclined.

DF: I have understood that. Now, listen to me, there are people who are coming down that ladder. Now you go up that ladder instead, you go on board and you tell me how many people there are and what they have on board. You tell me if there are children, women or people who need help. And you tell me the number of people in each of these groups. Is that clear? Listen Schettino, you have saved yourself but I will make sure that you will be in serious trouble. Go on board, for ***** sake.

FS: Commander, please…

DF: No please. Now you go on board. Please reassure me that you are going on board.

FS: I am going with the rescue boat. I am under here.

DF: What are you doing, Commander?

FS: I am here to coordinate the rescue operations.

DF: What are you coordinating? Go on board and coordinate rescue operations from there. Are you refusing to do so?

FS: No, no, no, I am not refusing to go on board.

DF: Are you refusing to go on board, Commander?

FS: [inaudible]

DF: And tell me the reason why you are not going on board.

FS: I am going there because there is the other lifeboat [inaudible].

DF: You go on board. It is an order. You don't need to carry out any assessment. You declared "ship abandoned". Now I am in charge. You go on board. Is that clear?

FS: Commander

DF: Can you not hear me?

FS: I am going on board

DF: You go

FS: [inaudible]

DF: You call me immediately when you are on board. My rescuer is there.

FS: Where is your rescuer?

DF: My rescuer is at the bow. Go on. There are already some bodies, Schettino. Go on.

FS: How many bodies are there?

DF: I don't know. I am aware of one. You will tell me their number, for Christ's sake.

FS: But do you realise that it is dark and that we cannot see anything?

DF: And what do you want to do? Go back home, Schettino? Go to the bow of the ship by going up the ladder and tell me what can be done, how many people there are and what they need. Now.

FS: Commander unclear

DF: What?

FS: I have the second in command here.

DF: You both go up, then. Both of you. What is the name of the second in command?

FS: [inaudible]

DF: What is the name of the second in command?

FS: His name is Dimitri…

DF: Dimitri what?

FS: Dimitri [inaudible]

DF: You and your second in command go on board. Now. Is that clear?

FS: Commander. I want to go on board. But the other lifeboat, the other rescuers are here and it has stopped, it has stopped.. Now, I have called other rescuers…

DF: You have been telling me this for the last hour. You now go on board. Go on board. And you tell me immediately how many people there are.

FS: That's ok, Commander.

DF: You go, immediately.

 

[junbob]

Turtlehead I think this is the transcript.

Costa Concordia Cruise Ship Disaster: Full Transcript Of Captain's Exchange With Coastguard | World News | Sky News