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What an unbelievable tragedy this is ….our hearts must surely go out to those involved ….people are still missing!
The Captain explained as follows
“The Italian captain accused of abandoning the Costa Concordia with hundreds of passengers still trapped on board has admitted that he made a ”mistake” as he approached the island of Giglio to perform a ”salute” for a friend, turning too late and ending up in shallow water where the liner struck a rocky outcrop and capsized.”
He continued ….
”I made a mistake on the approach. I was navigating by sight because I knew the depths well and I had done this manoeuvre three or four times. But this time I ordered the turn too late and I ended up in water that was too shallow. I don’t know why it happened, I was a victim of my instincts.”
Mr Schettino, 52, also claimed he left the ship only because he ”tripped” and fell into a lifeboat while trying to help with the evacuation.
He said he got stuck in the lifeboat for an hour before it was lowered into the water. A short time later he was seen ashore, leaving about 300 crew and passengers to fend for themselves.”http://www.irishtimes.com, Updated: 18/01/2012
A view of the ‘Costa Concordia’ at Giglio island today. Photograph: Max Rossi/Reuters
A translation of the conversation between Francesco Schettino, captain of the Costa Concordia, and Gregorio de Falco of the Italian coastguard in Livorno. The audio was first made available on the website of Corriere della Sera.Capt Gregorio De Falco: This is De Falco speaking from Livorno. Am I speaking with the commander?
Capt Francesco Schettino: Yes. Good evening, Cmdr. De Falco.
De Falco: Please tell me your name.
Schettino: I’m Cmdr Schettino, commander.
De Falco: Schettino? Listen, Schettino. There are people trapped on board. Now you go with your boat under the prow on the starboard side. There is a pilot ladder. You will climb that ladder and go on board. You go on board and then you will tell me how many people there are. Is that clear? I’m recording this conversation, Cmdr. Schettino…
Schettino: Commander, let me tell you one thing…
De Falco: Speak up! Put your hand in front of the microphone and speak more loudly, is that clear?
Schettino: In this moment, the boat is tipping…
De Falco: I understand that. Listen, there are people that are coming down the pilot ladder of the prow. You go up that pilot ladder, get on that ship and tell me how many people are still on board. And what they need. Is that clear? You need to tell me if there are children, women or people in need of assistance. And tell me the exact number of each of these categories. Is that clear? Listen, Schettino, that you saved yourself from the sea, but I am going to…really do something bad to you…I am going to make you pay for this. Go on board, [expletive]!
Schettino: Commander, please…
De Falco: No, please. You now get up and go on board. They are telling me that on board there are still…
Schettino: I am here with the rescue boats, I am here, I am not going anywhere, I am here…
De Falco: What are you doing, commander?
Schettino: I am here to coordinate the rescue…
De Falco: What are you coordinating there? Go on board! Coordinate the rescue from aboard the ship. Are you refusing?
Schettino: No, I am not refusing.
De Falco: “Are you refusing to go aboard, commander? Can you tell me the reason why you are not going?
Schettino: I am not going because the other lifeboat is stopped.
De Falco: You go aboard. It is an order. Don’t make any more excuses. You have declared “abandon ship.” Now I am in charge. You go on board! Is that clear? Do you hear me? Go, and call me when you are aboard. My air rescue crew is there.
Schettino: Where are your rescuers?
De Falco: My air rescue is on the prow. Go. There are already bodies, Schettino.
Schettino: How many bodies are there?
De Falco: I don’t know. I have heard of one. You are the one who has to tell me how many there are. Christ.
Schettino: But do you realize it is dark and here we can’t see anything…
De Falco: And so what? You want go home, Schettino? It is dark and you want to go home? Get on that prow of the boat using the pilot ladder and tell me what can be done, how many people there are and what their needs are. Now!
Schettino : …I am with my second in command.
De Falco: So both of you go up then … You and your second go on board now. Is that clear?
Schettino: Commander, I want to go on board, but it is simply that the other boat here … there are other rescuers. It has stopped and is waiting…
De Falco: It has been an hour that you have been telling me the same thing. Now, go on board. Go on board! And then tell me immediately how many people there are there.
Schettino: OK, commander
De Falco: Go, immediately!
I have seen this transcript Lucy .. Thanks for posting.
There are no words to express ….
However, I will just add this …
An off-duty captain who stepped in to help co-ordination the evacuation spoke out yesterday to condemn Mr Schettino’s actions, describing the disaster as “a heartache that I will carry with me forever”.
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