Cruise ship owner criticises captain as death toll hits six
Rescuers desperately working through the night found the body of a man in the wreckage of the Costa Concordia early today, taking the death toll from the disaster to six, the ANSA news agency reported.
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 Friday shortly after it began a seven-day Mediterranean cruise.
"It seems that the commander made errors of judgement that had serious consequences," said a statement from 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 Schettino, who was arrested Saturday with first officer Ciro Ambrosio, had left the stricken liner "well before" the last passengers were evacuated.
Coast guard 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,"
Verusio
said
yesterday,
accusing
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,
and
survivors
have
spoken
of
scenes
of
utter
chaos
and
panic
on
board
the
17-deck
liner
PTI