This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-16560170
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Britons on board stricken Costa Concordia ship off Italy | Britons on board stricken Costa Concordia ship off Italy |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Several Britons are thought to be on board a cruise ship which ran aground off the Italian coast, leaving at least three people dead. | Several Britons are thought to be on board a cruise ship which ran aground off the Italian coast, leaving at least three people dead. |
| The Costa Concordia hit a sandbar on Friday evening near the island of Giglio and listed about 20 degrees. | The Costa Concordia hit a sandbar on Friday evening near the island of Giglio and listed about 20 degrees. |
| The Foreign Office said it was unclear how many UK nationals were among the 3,200 passengers. | The Foreign Office said it was unclear how many UK nationals were among the 3,200 passengers. |
| It has set up a phone line for people who are concerned about their relatives and is offering advice on its website. | It has set up a phone line for people who are concerned about their relatives and is offering advice on its website. |
| But it said the number of Britons on board was believed to be in "the tens". | |
| 'Lucky to be alive' | |
| Many people swam ashore or boarded lifeboats but rescue teams are still checking cabins. | Many people swam ashore or boarded lifeboats but rescue teams are still checking cabins. |
| A number of British entertainers and dancers are thought to be among the 1,000-strong crew. | |
| Sandra Cook, whose daughter Kirsty was one of eight British dancers working on the ship, told BBC News she escaped by climbing down a rope ladder into another boat. | |
| Mrs Cook said: "Thank God she got off safely and survived it." | |
| She said she had spoken to her daughter. | |
| "I asked whether she had anything. She'd lost everything and she said that she was lucky to be alive and very thankful." | |
| Fabio Costa, who worked in a shop on the ship, told the BBC: "We were all working and all of a sudden we felt the boat hitting something and everything just started to fall, all the glasses broke and everybody started to panic and run." | Fabio Costa, who worked in a shop on the ship, told the BBC: "We were all working and all of a sudden we felt the boat hitting something and everything just started to fall, all the glasses broke and everybody started to panic and run." |
| Travel journalist Simon Calder said: "There are echoes of that terrible disaster, 100 years ago this year - the Titanic. | Travel journalist Simon Calder said: "There are echoes of that terrible disaster, 100 years ago this year - the Titanic. |
| "We've had stories of people jumping into the water and I dare say the behaviour of some people would have been informed by their visions of that awful night in the Atlantic." | "We've had stories of people jumping into the water and I dare say the behaviour of some people would have been informed by their visions of that awful night in the Atlantic." |
| Mr Calder told the BBC: "What is going to trouble the entire cruise community is how you get any fatalities at all given this was an absolutely routine cruise through relatively calm waters and something has clearly gone horribly wrong with the evacuation." | Mr Calder told the BBC: "What is going to trouble the entire cruise community is how you get any fatalities at all given this was an absolutely routine cruise through relatively calm waters and something has clearly gone horribly wrong with the evacuation." |
| Costa Cruises, the company which owns the ship, said it could not yet say what had caused the accident. | Costa Cruises, the company which owns the ship, said it could not yet say what had caused the accident. |
| "The gradual listing of the ship made the evacuation extremely difficult," a statement said. "The position of the ship, which is worsening, is making more difficult the last part of the evacuation." | "The gradual listing of the ship made the evacuation extremely difficult," a statement said. "The position of the ship, which is worsening, is making more difficult the last part of the evacuation." |
| One of those on board was Rose Metcalf, a 22-year-old cabaret dancer from Witchampton, Dorset. | One of those on board was Rose Metcalf, a 22-year-old cabaret dancer from Witchampton, Dorset. |
| Her father Philip Metcalf said: "The ship had rolled on its side so she was ready to jump in the water. | Her father Philip Metcalf said: "The ship had rolled on its side so she was ready to jump in the water. |
| "She said it was cold and dark just like the sinking of the Titanic." | "She said it was cold and dark just like the sinking of the Titanic." |
| He said his daughter, who was not hurt, had been airlifted to an air base in the Tuscany region of Italy. | He said his daughter, who was not hurt, had been airlifted to an air base in the Tuscany region of Italy. |
| A Foreign Office spokesman said he had no details of any British casualties. | A Foreign Office spokesman said he had no details of any British casualties. |
| "We are sending a team of consular staff from our embassy in Rome to the area," he added. | "We are sending a team of consular staff from our embassy in Rome to the area," he added. |
| Anyone concerned about British passengers should contact either the British Embassy in Rome on +39 06 4220 0001 or the Foreign Office in London on 0207 008 1500. | |
| The Passenger Shipping Association issued a statement: "Our thoughts are with those passengers and crew involved with Costa Concordia. Incidents of this nature are isolated and very rare. | The Passenger Shipping Association issued a statement: "Our thoughts are with those passengers and crew involved with Costa Concordia. Incidents of this nature are isolated and very rare. |
| "Ships' crews undertake rigorous training, drills and scenarios for emergency situations including the evacuation of a vessel. The ships themselves comply with stringent regulations and procedures from the governing maritime authorities covering every aspect of their build and operation. | "Ships' crews undertake rigorous training, drills and scenarios for emergency situations including the evacuation of a vessel. The ships themselves comply with stringent regulations and procedures from the governing maritime authorities covering every aspect of their build and operation. |
| "While the focus should rightly be on attending to the immediate incident at hand there will, of course, be a full and thorough investigation into the causes of this event and the full cooperation of both the company and the wider industry is assured," the statement added. | "While the focus should rightly be on attending to the immediate incident at hand there will, of course, be a full and thorough investigation into the causes of this event and the full cooperation of both the company and the wider industry is assured," the statement added. |
| Were you on the cruise ship? Do you have friends and family on the ship? Are you on the island of Giglio? Did you witness the accident? You can send your comments to the BBC using the form below: | Were you on the cruise ship? Do you have friends and family on the ship? Are you on the island of Giglio? Did you witness the accident? You can send your comments to the BBC using the form below: |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
| Read the terms and conditions | Read the terms and conditions |