Italy: Captain drove luxury cruise ship like a Ferrari

Rome, Jan 19: Captain Francesco Schettin of the Costa Concordia, the luxury liner that hit underwater rocks off the coast of Italy with more than 4,200 passengers and crew aboard, has been accused of skippering the liner "like a Ferrari" driver.

According to media reports, an officer on board of the ship, Martino Pellegrino has accused that ship captain Schettin had driven the the giant liner like a Ferrari.

Meanwhile, captain of the luxury cruise has been kept in custody in a prison in Grosseto, in Tuscany. He has been accused of manslaughter and abandoning the ship when passengers were still on board.

He has also been accused of deliberately steering the ship too close to the rocky shore in order to send a greeting signal to someone on the island.

Schettino could face up to 12 years in prison, if he's found guilty. However, the 52-year-old captain denied all allegations levelled against him through his lawyer.

Search operation was postponed early on Jan 18 morning after the liner shifted on the rock. Sources said that, there are no chance for rescue of missing twenty-four people. Till now, at least eleven people have been reported dead and over 60 injured.

OneIndia News