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100 years on from the Titanic disaster it seems we haven't learned much.


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I was under the impression that one of the factors in that caused, and the scale of the Titanic disaster, was people saying that in that day and age, passenger liners hitting icebergs should not capsize and sink.

The lack of lifeboats might have been a factor, as was the non-responsiveness of the nearby SS Californian.

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It wasn't funny but the whole scenario was nevertheless a sick black comedy.

 

Passengers have stated that the captain and some of the crew left the ship before the passengers managed to get off.

 

While the ship was beginning to list an announcement came over the ships public address system advising passengers that there was a problem with the ships electrical system and that technicians were working to repair it

 

It's alleged that the captain may have directed the ship to be brought close to the shore in order for passengers to wave to those on shore. ??

 

Many of the crew were as panic. stricken as the passengers. Passengers say that they were given no directions as to where to go and it became a case of everyone for him/herself.

 

I've done cruises aboard ships owned by Norwegian and Swedish cruise lines and there were fire and lifeboat drills with signs all over the place telling where to proceed and the identities of ships officers in each section where the various groups were to assemble for evacuation. Safety and efficiency were very obviously priority issues.

 

Nothing resembling that appears to have been on the Concord.

 

So again, trust the Italians

 

So again, do you have to be racist?

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Did the Captain really leave the ship before his passengers and crew?

I find that difficult to believe.

 

After hitting a rock off the coast of Giglio last Friday night, the Costa Concordia continued past the port as Schettino turned it around and brought it to rest on a headland known as Punta Gabbianara. According to the transcripts, there, at 21.49, he was radioed by the harbourmaster's office in Livorno, which is a regional headquarters of the coastguard.

 

"Everything OK?" he was asked.

 

"Affirmative," came the reply. The coastguard was told the liner had suffered a "small technical failure".

 

Five minutes later, the coastguard radioed the bridge again. The second newspaper, Il Fatto Quotidiano, which did not provide a source for its information, said that in the meantime the harbourmaster's office had been told by the semi-militarised Carabinieri police of a call from a passenger aboard the Costa Concordia talking about a shipwreck.

 

This time, the coastguard asked not only if the vessel was in trouble, but also what was its position.

 

"We've only got a technical problem and we're not able to [give the position]," came the reply. "But as soon as it's resolved, we'll communicate [it] to you."

 

Thereafter, all radio calls to the stricken liner went unanswered. But at 00.32 the coastguard managed to contact Schettino by telephone.

 

By then, the evacuation had been under way for only about 40 minutes. The captain was asked how many people were still aboard.

 

"Two, three hundred," he replied.

 

Ten minutes later, the coastguard rang him again. By then, said Il Fatto quoting a local fire brigade commander, Schettino had left his ship and was on the rocks at Punta Gabbianara.

 

He was again asked how many people were still aboard.

 

"I've called the ship owners, and they tell me that about 40 people are missing," he replied.

 

"So few? How is that possible?" asked the coastguard, before adding: "But you're on board?"

 

"No. I'm not on board because the bows of the ship are coming up. We've abandoned her."

 

"What do you mean? You've abandoned ship?"

 

"No. No way have I abandoned ship. I'm here," Schettino replied.

 

The final, and most dramatic call, took place at 1.46am when, after confirming that he was speaking to the captain, a coastguard officer told him: "Right. You are now going back on board. You are going to go back up the rope ladder, return to the bridge and co-ordinate operations."

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