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Cruise ship captain 'off course' Cruise ship captain 'off course'
(about 1 hour later)
The CEO of Costa Cruises, the owner of the ship that ran aground off Italy, says the captain made an "unapproved, unauthorised" deviation in course. The captain of a cruise ship that ran aground off Italy made an "unapproved, unauthorised" deviation in course, the liner's owners say.
Capt Francesco Schettino is suspected of manslaughter, but denies wrongdoing. Costa Cruises boss Pier Luigi Foschi accused Capt Francesco Schettino of sailing too close to a nearby island in order to show the ship to locals.
Six people were killed and about 15 remain missing after the hull of the Costa Concordia was torn open by rocks late on Friday off the Tuscan coast. The captain says the rocks the ship hit were not on his chart.
The search for survivors has temporarily been suspended after the ship slipped in rough weather. Six people were killed and 16 are still missing after the Costa Concordia's hull was torn open on Friday.
"The company will be close to the captain and will provide him with all the necessary assistance, but we need to acknowledge the facts and we cannot deny human error," Costa Cruises Chief Executive Officer Pier Luigi Foschi told a news conference in Genoa. Rescue crews restarted the search for survivors on Monday afternoon, three hours after work had been suspended over safety fears.
Mr Foschi said Costa's ships have their routes programmed and alarms sound when they go off course. At an emotional news conference in Genoa, Mr Foschi fought back tears as he apologised for the accident.
"This route was put in correctly," he said. "The fact that it left from this course is due solely to a manoeuvre by the commander that was unapproved, unauthorised and unknown to Costa.'' "The company will be close to the captain and will provide him with all the necessary assistance, but we need to acknowledge the facts and we cannot deny human error," he said.
He said the ship was regularly inspected and had had a major check in November last year. "This route was put in correctly. The fact that it left from this course is due solely to a manoeuvre by the commander that was unapproved, unauthorised and unknown to Costa.
At the emotional news conference, Mr Foschi fought back tears and apologised for the accident. "He wanted to show the ship, to [go] nearby this island of Giglio, so he decided to change the course of the ship to go closer to the island."
He said Costa's ships have their routes programmed and alarms sound when they go off course.
Earlier, Costa Cruises said Capt Schettino had appeared to sail too close to land.
Italian media have suggested he may have been taking the Costa Concordia close to the Tuscan island of Giglio to put on a show for the islanders.
Some of the passengers on board the ship described hearing a horrendous noise as the ship struck rocks at about 21:30 (20:30 GMT) on Friday.Some of the passengers on board the ship described hearing a horrendous noise as the ship struck rocks at about 21:30 (20:30 GMT) on Friday.
There were scenes of panic as alarms sounded soon after and the ship began to list. Capt Schettino steered the vessel closer to land to where it now lies on its side just metres off Giglio island.There were scenes of panic as alarms sounded soon after and the ship began to list. Capt Schettino steered the vessel closer to land to where it now lies on its side just metres off Giglio island.
Some of the passengers and crew were forced to swim for land as the angle of the ship made boarding life boats impossible.Some of the passengers and crew were forced to swim for land as the angle of the ship made boarding life boats impossible.
The 4,200 passengers and crew on board had not conducted an emergency drill after leaving on its cruise several hours earlier.The 4,200 passengers and crew on board had not conducted an emergency drill after leaving on its cruise several hours earlier.
Oil spill fearsOil spill fears
Heavy weather forced a temporary halt in the search for survivors after rescue crews found a sixth body, that of a male passenger, early on Friday.Heavy weather forced a temporary halt in the search for survivors after rescue crews found a sixth body, that of a male passenger, early on Friday.
The BBC's Matthew Price says the ship has visibly sunk lower in the water.The BBC's Matthew Price says the ship has visibly sunk lower in the water.
Environment Minister Corrado Clini said there was an extremely high risk of a damaging spill of fuel from the ship's tanks.Environment Minister Corrado Clini said there was an extremely high risk of a damaging spill of fuel from the ship's tanks.
"The vessel has reservoirs full of fuel, it is a heavy diesel which could sink down to the seabed, that would be a disaster," he told La Stampa newspaper."The vessel has reservoirs full of fuel, it is a heavy diesel which could sink down to the seabed, that would be a disaster," he told La Stampa newspaper.
"As soon as possible, the fuel will be removed from the vessel. But we have to take into account the precarious state of the ship.""As soon as possible, the fuel will be removed from the vessel. But we have to take into account the precarious state of the ship."
Mr Foschi said so far there were no signs of any leakage. He said 2,300 tonnes of fuel oil were contained in 17 double-hulled tanks and more oil was in another four reservoirs.Mr Foschi said so far there were no signs of any leakage. He said 2,300 tonnes of fuel oil were contained in 17 double-hulled tanks and more oil was in another four reservoirs.
Capt Schettino, 52, has worked for Costa Cruises for 11 years. The company said he joined the firm in 2002 as an official in charge of security.Capt Schettino, 52, has worked for Costa Cruises for 11 years. The company said he joined the firm in 2002 as an official in charge of security.
He was made captain in 2006, after serving as second-in-command.He was made captain in 2006, after serving as second-in-command.
Like all captains in the fleet he took part in a continuous programme of training and passed all the required checks, Costa Cruises said.Like all captains in the fleet he took part in a continuous programme of training and passed all the required checks, Costa Cruises said.
Capt Schettino has denied any wrongdoing, saying the rocks his ship hit were not marked on his nautical chart.Capt Schettino has denied any wrongdoing, saying the rocks his ship hit were not marked on his nautical chart.
"We should have had deep water beneath us," he told Italian TV. "We were about 300m (1,000ft) from the rocks more or less. We shouldn't have hit anything.""We should have had deep water beneath us," he told Italian TV. "We were about 300m (1,000ft) from the rocks more or less. We shouldn't have hit anything."
He also denied claims by prosecutors that he left the Costa Concordia before evacuation was complete. "We were the last to leave the ship," Capt Schettino said.He also denied claims by prosecutors that he left the Costa Concordia before evacuation was complete. "We were the last to leave the ship," Capt Schettino said.
First officer Ciro Ambrosio has also been detained.First officer Ciro Ambrosio has also been detained.
Were you on the cruise ship? Were your 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? Were your 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:
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