meester69

Well there are very many damning things being said about him:

* abandoned ship and refused to return to conduct the rescue
* drinking alcohol shortly before the ship went down
* ordered staff to continue cooking his dinner even when they were complaing that the boat was sinking
* fled in a taxi
* caused the accident by show-boating to the islanders

Still, presumably if a ship is going to ship there are going to be some elderly and infirm who won't make it, although I understand that some people drowned after jumping in when they should really have been in a lifeboat launched in timely fashion.

CUTiger78

I think "De Falco from Livorno" intends to see to that.

obscure2k

Well said. Thank you.

N830MH

I'm glad you are not on the cruise ship. Lucky you!

spainflyer

OK, there is plenty of damning evidence about “Captain” Schettino. No need to review that here.

But with a view to the future of Costa, Carnival and cruising safety there remain some important questions – probably even more important than Schettino’s actions and fate.

Although Costa is doing all it can to distance itself from its captain, the cruise line will have to answer to these questions of failures of policy and training:

The captain was drinking at the ship’s bar with one or more women just before the crash. On duty.

Five days after the accident, Costa still cannot give an accurate passenger list so the number of people counted as missing continues to change.

Costa had the ship located at all times via satellite GPS. Did they ever give the order to change course, away from Giglio?

The nautical fly-by was a common occurrence; according to islanders this was by no means the first time. Did Costa take any corrective action in the past? Results?

Members of the crew trampled passengers, including women, children and those in wheelchairs, in the rush to the lifeboats. Training? Discipline?

For those rescued without clothing, money, passports or credit cards, Costa has said (literally): “You’re not getting anything from us. If you want compensation, sue us.”

Costa Cruises would like us to believe this was a one-off mistake by a rogue captain, but they have a lot to answer for and a lot of explaining to do if they want to stay in business.

Globaliser

To my mind, this is one of the key issues relating to why the accident occurred at all.

However, the evidence isn't at all clear on this at the moment. One of the most detailed accounts that I've seen of previous sail pasts was given by the father of the head waiter who, it seems, may have been being honoured by Friday night's sail past. Although I have only read it in translation, the father seemed to be saying that the ship came past Giglio all the time, but usually at a distance of two or three miles. (For context, the channel between Giglio and the mainland is a little under 9 miles wide.) The only non-verbal evidence that I've seen of previous sail pasts is the video of the August occasion, which was done with Costa permission and, it seems, coordination with the harbour authorities. If the ship made a habit of doing it, I would have expected (in the 2011 world) to have seen more video emerging by now of other occasions.

So I would personally hold judgment on this issue at the moment. But I agree that if it turns out that the ship was buzzing the island frequently and Costa did nothing about it, then the failure of navigational management may go up to the very top.

angatol

.....

Globaliser

Yes, I think that is the single documented occasion when the sail past was done, with Costa permission and advance planning; that's the occasion from which there is video.

Is there video or documentary evidence of any others? That's what I'd be interested to know. I haven't seen any so far.

angatol

.....

Globaliser

Hence my keenness to see whether there is video or documentary (or other non-verbal) evidence of any others. What people say after an event like this is always open to doubt.

spainflyer

True enough. The Captain is quoted in the Spanish daily El Mundo (www.elmundo.es) as saying "I felt sure of myself. I had done the "greeting" three or four times in the past."

Of couse the good captain said a lot of other things that really don't hold water.

Letitride3c

A number of YouTube videos by Costa Cruises have been posted - here's the link to it. They speak for themselves (including the body language & posture, the fingers ... )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNqAq...feature=relmfu

On the public relations end in assuring customers & future cruisers booked or planning to sail with them - they can and need to do a (little) more, I think ...

chgoeditor

I'm not a body-language expert, but I read his body language as humbled/nervous, though it's hard to tell how much of that might be a function of speaking in what's not his native language.

mikeef

Curious as to where you saw the bolded.

ETA:

From the BBC article:

Classic.

cordelli

Wow, the press is certainly mixing up the meaning of what Costa said, since they are reporting

"I give my personal assurance that we will take care of each and every one of our guests, crew and their families affected by this tragic event," Carnival Chief Executive Micky Arison said in a statement late on Wednesday - five days after the incident that left 11 people dead and 22 missing.

Costa Cruise Lines, a unit of Carnival and operator of the ship, has been arranging lodging and transportation for passengers and crew members to return home, and has offered assistance and counseling as needed. It has also begun refunding passengers their cruise fares and all costs incurred while on board.

The company also said it was contacting every passenger and crew member or their family and will be addressing personal possessions lost on board.