Italy disaster: 29 still missing;captain to be quizzed today

Rome, Jan 17: At least twenty-five passengers and four crew members are reportedly still missing after three days the the luxury Costa Concordia liner hit underwater rocks off the coast of Italy with more than 4,200 passengers and crew aboard.

According to media reports, the head of Italy's coast guard said that 29 people remained unaccounted for from the partially sunken cruise ship Costa Concordia. Coast Guard chief Marco Brusco further added that the whereabouts of four crew members and 25 passengers were unknown.

Rescue efforts are still on to find missing survivors. Earlier, on Jan 16, the search was suspended at nightfall, but was resumed later.

Meanwhile, the captain of the cruise ship, Francesco Schettin, who has been accused of manslaughter and abandoning the ship when passengers were still on board, will be questioned by authorities on Tuesday, Jan 17 at a hearing in Rome.

According to Italian prosecutor Francesco Verusio, Schettino could face up to 15 years in prison, if he's found guilty.

A preliminary investigation judge will decide whether Schettino will remain detained. Meanwhile, more than 100 witnesses, including passengers and crew, have been interviewed and many alleged that the cruise captain did not follow the authorities' route during the journey to Giglio.

OneIndia News