National Geographic Costa Concordia Documentary

[Ringel05]

The National Geo Channel already has a documentary out on the Costa Concordia.
Just finished watching it.

National Geographic Channel

 

[waltky]

Costa Concordia trial results in 5 convictions...

ITALY: 5 CONVICTED FOR COSTA CONCORDIA SHIPWRECK
Jul 20,`13 -- An Italian court on Saturday convicted five employees of an Italian cruise company for the Costa Concordia shipwreck that killed 32 crew and passengers after it accepted their plea bargains.

The longest sentence went to the crisis coordinator for Costa Crociere SpA, the cruise company, who was sentenced to two years and 10 months. Concordia's hotel director was sentenced to two years and six months while two bridge officers and a helmsman got sentences ranging from one year and eight months to one year and 11 months.

The plea bargains were handled separately from the trial of Costa Concordia Capt. Francesco Schettino, who is charged with manslaughter for causing the January 2012 shipwreck off the Tuscan island of Giglio and abandoning the vessel with thousands aboard. That trial opened this week.

The Concordia, on a week-long Mediterranean cruise, speared a jagged granite reef when, prosecutors allege, Schettino steered the ship too close to Giglio's rocky shores as a favor to a crewman whose relatives live on the island. If found guilty, he faces up to 20 years in prison. Schettino has denied the charges and insisted that the rock was not in nautical maps.

The reef sliced a 70-meter-long (230-foot) gash in the hull. Seawater rushed in, causing the ship to rapidly lean to one side until it capsized, then drifted to a rocky stretch of seabed just outside the island's tiny port. Survivors have described a delayed and confused evacuation. The bodies of two victims were never found, but they were declared dead after a long search.

News from The Associated Press

 

[waltky]

Concordia's captain yet to be tried...

Sentences in cruise liner disaster slammed
Mon, Jul 22, 2013 - ‘SHAMEFUL’: While the trial of the ship’s captain is ongoing, lawyers for victims of the disaster said they may appeal terms handed to crewmembers and a company official

Four Costa Concordia crewmembers and a company official were sentenced to jail in Italy on Saturday for their part in last year’s cruise ship disaster that killed 32 people, leaving only the boat’s captain still on trial. The five received sentences of between 18 months and 34 months for multiple manslaughter, negligence and shipwreck — relatively short terms for the crimes, in exchange for pleading guilty. None of the five are likely to be jailed as the sentences of under two years were suspended and the longer ones may be replaced with house arrest or community service, lawyers said. “I think that the sentences are not enough,” said Robert Fehrer, 28, whose brother Szandor, a violinist, died in the disaster. “It feels quite hard to face this, with the fact that I lost my brother.” “I don’t think that justice was done,” said Adam Csepi, a 24-year-old dancer whose spine was damaged in the accident. “I was dancing since I was a child. I wanted it to be my career. This is not going to bring my life back. Even 20 years [jail] would not bring my career back, but they do deserve more than this.”

Lawyers for the victims decried the verdicts as “shameful” and said they might appeal to Italy’s appeals court to overturn the plea bargains that allowed reduced sentences in return for guilty pleas. “The plea bargains are unacceptable, they shouldn’t have been proposed or accepted. These sentences are ridiculous in the face of 32 dead,” said Gabriele dalle Luche, who represents a group of Russian passengers, saying he would consider an appeal. The disaster occurred when the huge cruise liner hit a rock as it sailed close to the picturesque island of Giglio, prompting a chaotic evacuation of more than 4,000 passengers and crew. Costa Cruises, a unit of Carnival Corp, avoided a criminal trial by agreeing to pay a 1 million euro (US$1.31 million) fine in April, but victims are pursuing damages in a civil case.

Captain Francesco Schettino, 52, remains on trial for manslaughter and causing the loss of his ship. He is also seeking a plea bargain to reduce a possible jail sentence. The court gave the crisis coordinator for vessel owner Costa Cruises, Roberto Ferrarini, the lengthiest sentence of two years, 10 months, followed by cabin services manager Manrico Giampedroni who was given two-and-a-half years. Three others including First Officer Ciro Ambrosio were given suspended sentences of under two years. Short penalties for non-violent crimes are routinely suspended under Italian law.

On Wednesday, Schettino’s lawyers offered to accept a sentence of three years, five months in return for a guilty plea. A previous offer to serve three years, four months was rejected in May and he risks a much heftier sentence if no plea bargain is agreed. Hearings resume in September. The captain is accused of abandoning ship before all crew and passengers had been rescued. A coastguard’s angry phone order to him — “Get back on board, damn it!” — became a catchphrase in Italy after the accident. His lawyers say he prevented a worse disaster by steering the 290m vessel into shallow waters after the impact and that he was thrown overboard due to the angle of the leaning ship, which still lies rusting off the island.

Sentences in cruise liner disaster slammed - Taipei Times

 

[waltky]

He gonna be eatin' linguini an' lasagna for the next 16 years...

Italy court upholds Concordia captain guilty verdict
May 31,`16 -- An Italian appeals court has upheld the conviction and 16-year prison sentence for the Italian captain of the Costa Concordia cruise ship that capsized off Tuscany in 2012, killing 32 people.

Prosecutors had sought 27 years and three months for Capt. Francesco Schettino, but the court kept the original sentence Tuesday, according to the ANSA news agency.

Francesco Schettino attends his trial at the Grosseto court, Italy. The captain of the capsized Costa Concordia luxury liner has been convicted of multiple charges of manslaughter and sentenced to 16 years in jail.​

Both the prosecution and defense appealed the conviction by a lower court last year. The prosecution sought to toughen the sentence while the defense argued that blame didn't fall solely on Schettino.

He remains free, and has one final appeal to Italy's highest court. Schettino was convicted of manslaughter and causing the shipwreck by colliding with a reef near tiny Giglio island and of abandoning the capsized vessel with people still aboard.

News from The Associated Press

 

[blastoff]

Hope the menu includes sea food on occasion.