The Italian Coast Guard said Tuesday it has located the second "black box," or data recorder, from the Costa Concordia cruise ship that wrecked off Italy’s western coast, killing at least six people. Operations were underway to retrieve the recorder, said Warrant Petty Officer Massimo Macaroni of the Italian Coast Guard, according to CNN. Information from the device, along with…
The Italian Coast Guard said Tuesday it has located the second "black box," or data recorder, from the Costa Concordia cruise ship that wrecked off Italy’s western coast, killing at least six people. Operations were underway to retrieve the recorder, said Warrant Petty Officer Massimo Macaroni of the Italian Coast Guard, according to CNN. Information from the device, along with that from another that has already been recovered and is being analyzed by prosecutors, will provide authorities with "a complete picture of how the disaster unfolded."
The ship’s owners have blamed the captain for Friday’s crash, saying he changed course towards an island. Captain Francesco Schettino, 52, has been detained on suspicion of manslaughter and a judge is due to decide shortly whether he should remain in custody.
Italy says it will declare a state of emergency over the incident, and provide funding to help avert any environmental disaster. The Italian environment minister said liquid was leaking from the ship, but it was unclear if it was fuel.
According to BBC, Italian officials have denied a newspaper report that a seventh body had been found overnight on the vessel. Italian Coast Guard officials said the number of people believed to be missing had jumped to 29 from the previous estimate of 16, but gave no reason for the change. The missing are thought to include four crew members, as well as passengers from the US, Germany, France and Italy.
On Monday, the Costa Concordia’s owners, Costa Cruises, said Capt Schettino hit the rocks because he deliberately steered the ship towards to Giglio Island. Prosecutors also claim that he was responsible for the disaster."The captain is in a very difficult position because we are sure enough that he abandoned the ship when many passengers were still waiting to be evacuated," said prosecutor Francesco Verusio.
A transcript purportedly of conversations between the captain and the coastguard has emerged in the Italian media – apparently drawn from one of the ship’s black box recorders – which appears to corroborate the claims that the captain left the ship before all the passengers escaped.
Capt Schettino has denied wrongdoing and says the rocks were not on his charts. He has insisted that he and his crew were the last people to leave the vessel. His lawyer, Bruno Leporatti, said his client was "overcome and wants to express his greatest condolences to the victims", adding that the captain had carried out a dangerous manoeuvre that had actually saved lives.
Survivors have described the scene after the ship’s collision with the rocks as chaos. "There was no one taking command," passenger Lauren Moore told HLN‘s Mike Galanos. She said she was having dinner with a group of friends when she heard the crunch of the ship hitting the rock and the crash of plates and glasses falling to the floor. "It was a terrifying sound and we knew it wasn’t normal," she said. Moore ran to her cabin and then to board a lifeboat. "It was so chaotic… Everyone was basically fighting for his or her own life," she said. Some passengers braved the chilly water, with a temperature of about 57 degrees, and swam to safety. Others had no choice and fell in. Nighttime temperatures on Giglio have recently dipped below freezing.
Twenty-five passengers and four crew remain unaccounted for. Six people are confirmed dead and there are unconfirmed reports a seventh body was found in the holed vessel overnight Reports say rescue workers have combed all the areas of the ship still above the water-line, leading to fears that those who are missing are in submerged areas of the ship and therefore unlikely to be found alive.
Worries for an environmental disaster
Worries are growing that the ship could cause an environmental disaster if it breaks up and sheds its fuel. The vessel had just left the port of Civitavecchia, north of Rome, carrying roughly 2,300 tonnes of fuel for a week-long Mediterranean cruise when it crashed. The area where the ship capsized is a maritime park famous for its pristine waters, varied marine life and coral.
Italian Environment Minister Corrado Clini said there was evidence that liquid was leaking from the ship, but he could not confirm whether the fluid was fuel. He said the government would declare a state of emergency to release extra funding to help avoid a fuel spill causing an environmental disaster.
Costa Crociere’s statement
Costa Crociere issued a statement about the tragic event that involved the ship Costa Concordia last Friday off Giglio island, Italy. The importance of the event is such that the total energy still requires now the company’s operational management of the passengers and crew that has been and is our highest priority.
"We at Costa Cruises are deeply saddened by this tragedy, and our hearts and prayers go out to everyone affected and offer the determined victims’ families her heartfelt condolences.
Over the past 48 hours, more than 1,100 Costa employees have been working tirelessly in the wake of this terrible event. We are working closely with the authorities to support ongoing search and rescue operations, and are focusing on ensuring that all guests and crewmembers return home safely.
Our immediate priority is to account for all passengers and crew and to secure the vessel to ensure that there are no environmental impacts. We have engaged the services of a worldwide leader specialized salvage company to develop an action plan and help establish a protection perimeter around the ship. It should be noted that the Prosecutor in charge has seized the ship and the DVR- so called “black box” containing all navigation data and the vessel can be accessed by Costa only with permission from the authorities.
We are working with investigators to find out precisely what went wrong aboard the Costa Concordia. While the investigation is ongoing, preliminary indications are that there may have been significant human error on the part of the ship’s Master, Captain Francesco Schettino, which resulted in these grave consequences. The route of the vessel appears to have been too close to the shore, and the Captain’s judgment in handling the emergency appears to have not followed standard Costa procedures. We are aware that the lead Prosecutor has levelled serious accusations against the ship’s Captain, who joined Costa Crociere in 2002 as a Safety Officer and was appointed Captain in 2006, after acting as Staff Captain as well. As all Costa Masters, he has been constantly trained passing all tests.
In light of these accusations and the continuing investigation, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further at this time.
As we are learning more about the event itself and the evacuation, however, it is becoming clear that the crew of the Costa Concordia acted bravely and swiftly to help evacuate more than 4,000 individuals during a very challenging situation. We are very grateful for all they have done.
Costa is committed to ensuring that no such incident ever occurs again. Our number one priority is always the safety and security of our guests and crew and we comply with all safety regulations".
Background on Costa’s commitment to safety
Costa complies very strictly with all safety regulations and our personnel are committed, first and foremost, to guest safety and security.
All crew members hold a BST (Basic Safety Training) certificate and are trained and prepared to emergency management and to assist passengers abandoning the ship with numerous drills. Roles, responsibilities and duties are clearly assigned to all crew members. Every two weeks all crewmembers perform a ship evacuation simulation. A lifeboat and evacuation drill for all guests is conducted within 24 hours of embarking, as required by law. Costa has a computerised system which ensures all passengers undergo this drill.
The skills of Costa crew are periodically tested by Coastguard authorities and an independent classification organization as per SMS (Safety Management Systems) requirements.
There are lifeboats and jackets on board in excess of the number required for all passengers and crew. Lifeboats are equipped with food and water supplies, first aid kits and communication and signalling equipment. All life-saving appliances are aligned to international standards and are subject to close, regular inspection by shipboard personnel and certification authorities. All Costa ships are certified by RINA and have been built to the highest standards and technologies.
ASTA Issues Statement in Wake of Costa Concordia Grounding
In the wake of this weekend’s accident involving the grounding of the Costa Concordia off the coast of Italy, ASTA has issued the following statement:
“ASTA wishes to extend its heartfelt sympathies to all those affected in this tragic accident. Our hearts and prayers go out to the friends and families of the passengers and crew whose lives were lost or who were injured,” said ASTA President and Chair, Nina Meyer, CTC, MCC, DS. “On behalf of the travel agent community, we stand ready to assist in any way possible.”
The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and Carnival Corporation & plc, Costa Cruise’s parent company, have issued statements providing updates and further information for concerned families. Additionally, ASTA will be working closely with both CLIA and Costa Cruise to provide members with updates, including guidance for passenger re-accommodation or refunds for all future Concordia bookings.
“Accidents such as this are extremely rare,” added Meyer, noting that cruising still remains one of the safest forms of vacation travel.
The mission of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) is to facilitate the business of selling travel through effective representation, shared knowledge and the enhancement of professionalism. ASTA seeks a retail travel marketplace that is profitable and growing and a rewarding field in which to work, invest and do business.
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