noelyf
VIP Member
Monday, 16 January 2012
Italy's Environment Minister raised the prospect of an environmental disaster if the fuel on the half-submerged cruise ship leaks.
Italy's Environment Minister raised the prospect of an environmental disaster if the 2,300 tonnes of fuel on the half-submerged cruise ship leaks.
The ship's fuel tanks were full, having just left the port of Civitavecchia, north of Rome, for a week-long Mediterranean cruise, when it ran aground on Friday.
The area where the ship capsized, off the island of Giglio, is a natural maritime park noted for its pristine waters, varied marine life and coral.
It is known worldwide as an excellent diving site.
Earlier today, the head of the company which owns the vessel said the running aground of a luxury cruise liner off the coast of Italy was a result of an "inexplicable error" by the captain.
The ship's captain, Francesco Schettino, is currently in police custody with prosecutors saying he could face charges of multiple homicide and abandoning ship before all the passengers were rescued.
Speaking at a news conference in Genoa, Pier Luigi Foschi, the chief executive of Costa Crociere, said that the course that the captain had decided to take was "his own initiative, contrary to the written rules" of the company.
Rescuers worked through the night and found the body of a man in the wreckage of the Costa Concordia early this morning.
The rescue operation was suspended for a several hours today after the giant ship slipped this morning.
Coastguard officials said the half-submerged ship has now stabilised as weather conditions off the Tuscan coast have improved.
Rescuers have resumed searching the wreck of the capsized liner.
About 15 people, including Italians, Americans and French nationals, are still missing after the massive ship hit rocks and capsized off the island of Giglio late on Friday shortly after it began a seven-day Mediterranean cruise.
"It seems that the commander made errors of judgement that had serious consequences," said the liner's owner Costa Crociere, referring to Captain Francesco Schettino.
"His decisions in the management of the emergency did not follow Costa Crociere's procedures, which are in line with international standards."
The prosecutor leading the investigation, Francesco Verusio, told reporters that Mr Schettino, who was arrested on Saturday with first officer Ciro Ambrosio, had left the liner "well before" the last passengers were rescued.
Coastguard officials also said the captain ignored repeated requests from them to return to his ship as the rescue operation continued.
"The route followed by the ship was not the right one," Mr Verusio said yesterday, accusing Mr Schettino of having "approached Giglio island in a very clumsy manner".
Prosecutors have also said the crew mishandled the emergency, delaying the start of the evacuation until an hour after the accident.
Survivors have spoken of scenes of chaos and panic on board the 17-deck liner.
Costa Crociere, which is Europe's biggest cruise operator, said it was cooperating with prosecutors in the probe.
Emergency teams yesterday rescued two South Korean honeymooners and an Italian crewman suffering a broken leg.
But the bodies of a Spanish man and an Italian were also discovered in the submerged part of the vessel, after the deaths of two French passengers and a Peruvian crew member were confirmed on Saturday.
Medical sources said around 60 people had been injured, two seriously.
Emergency services unit have warned that bad weather is expected from Thursday, which would complicate rescue operations.
The Concordia, the flagship of Costa Crociere's fleet, was carrying more than 4,200 people when it hit the rocks before running aground on Friday the 13th, just as many passengers were settling down to dinner.
Italy's Environment Minister raised the prospect of an environmental disaster if the fuel on the half-submerged cruise ship leaks.
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Search operations will only be conducted from now on in daylight hours
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The Costa Concordia was slipping from its position on the rocks
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The hull of the giant vessel has been badly damaged
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The vessel's voice and data recorders have been recovered
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Captain Francesco Schettino was arrested on Saturday
Italy's Environment Minister raised the prospect of an environmental disaster if the 2,300 tonnes of fuel on the half-submerged cruise ship leaks.
The ship's fuel tanks were full, having just left the port of Civitavecchia, north of Rome, for a week-long Mediterranean cruise, when it ran aground on Friday.
The area where the ship capsized, off the island of Giglio, is a natural maritime park noted for its pristine waters, varied marine life and coral.
It is known worldwide as an excellent diving site.
Earlier today, the head of the company which owns the vessel said the running aground of a luxury cruise liner off the coast of Italy was a result of an "inexplicable error" by the captain.
The ship's captain, Francesco Schettino, is currently in police custody with prosecutors saying he could face charges of multiple homicide and abandoning ship before all the passengers were rescued.
Speaking at a news conference in Genoa, Pier Luigi Foschi, the chief executive of Costa Crociere, said that the course that the captain had decided to take was "his own initiative, contrary to the written rules" of the company.
Rescuers worked through the night and found the body of a man in the wreckage of the Costa Concordia early this morning.
The rescue operation was suspended for a several hours today after the giant ship slipped this morning.
Coastguard officials said the half-submerged ship has now stabilised as weather conditions off the Tuscan coast have improved.
Rescuers have resumed searching the wreck of the capsized liner.
About 15 people, including Italians, Americans and French nationals, are still missing after the massive ship hit rocks and capsized off the island of Giglio late on Friday shortly after it began a seven-day Mediterranean cruise.
"It seems that the commander made errors of judgement that had serious consequences," said the liner's owner Costa Crociere, referring to Captain Francesco Schettino.
"His decisions in the management of the emergency did not follow Costa Crociere's procedures, which are in line with international standards."
The prosecutor leading the investigation, Francesco Verusio, told reporters that Mr Schettino, who was arrested on Saturday with first officer Ciro Ambrosio, had left the liner "well before" the last passengers were rescued.
Coastguard officials also said the captain ignored repeated requests from them to return to his ship as the rescue operation continued.
"The route followed by the ship was not the right one," Mr Verusio said yesterday, accusing Mr Schettino of having "approached Giglio island in a very clumsy manner".
Prosecutors have also said the crew mishandled the emergency, delaying the start of the evacuation until an hour after the accident.
Survivors have spoken of scenes of chaos and panic on board the 17-deck liner.
Costa Crociere, which is Europe's biggest cruise operator, said it was cooperating with prosecutors in the probe.
Emergency teams yesterday rescued two South Korean honeymooners and an Italian crewman suffering a broken leg.
But the bodies of a Spanish man and an Italian were also discovered in the submerged part of the vessel, after the deaths of two French passengers and a Peruvian crew member were confirmed on Saturday.
Medical sources said around 60 people had been injured, two seriously.
Emergency services unit have warned that bad weather is expected from Thursday, which would complicate rescue operations.
The Concordia, the flagship of Costa Crociere's fleet, was carrying more than 4,200 people when it hit the rocks before running aground on Friday the 13th, just as many passengers were settling down to dinner.
