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| Costa Concordia captain appears in court | Costa Concordia captain appears in court |
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| Nine months after he steered the Costa Concordia cruise ship on to rocks in an accident which caused the death of 32 passengers, a defiant captain Francesco Schettino has attended a preliminary court hearing into the disaster. | Nine months after he steered the Costa Concordia cruise ship on to rocks in an accident which caused the death of 32 passengers, a defiant captain Francesco Schettino has attended a preliminary court hearing into the disaster. |
| As he slipped into the hearing in Grossetto by a back door, survivors of the capsizing of the 114,500-tonne vessel and their lawyers condemned the captain. | As he slipped into the hearing in Grossetto by a back door, survivors of the capsizing of the 114,500-tonne vessel and their lawyers condemned the captain. |
| "I have waited nine months for him to say sorry, but he has not realised there was a tragedy," said one survivor, Patrizia Perilli. "I am really angry." | "I have waited nine months for him to say sorry, but he has not realised there was a tragedy," said one survivor, Patrizia Perilli. "I am really angry." |
| Schettino, who last week sued to get his job back, said he was attending court "to show my face to my accusers". | Schettino, who last week sued to get his job back, said he was attending court "to show my face to my accusers". |
| Another passenger, Luciano Castro, said he was astounded by Schettino's "arrogance". | Another passenger, Luciano Castro, said he was astounded by Schettino's "arrogance". |
| The pre-trial hearingcould result in Schettino sent to trial next year for manslaughter and abandoning ship. It was held in a theatre to accommodate around 500 lawyers and experts, and is due to review the ship's black box data. | |
| Schettino's claim that he saved lives by steering the holed vessel on to the rocky shore of the Tuscan island of Giglio has already been disputed by the data analysed. | Schettino's claim that he saved lives by steering the holed vessel on to the rocky shore of the Tuscan island of Giglio has already been disputed by the data analysed. |
| "He lost control of the steering and the propeller 90 seconds after the impact. The grounding was due to wind and current," said Bruno Pisa, an electronics expert acting for two survivors. | "He lost control of the steering and the propeller 90 seconds after the impact. The grounding was due to wind and current," said Bruno Pisa, an electronics expert acting for two survivors. |
| Laywers said phone calls between Schettino and the members of the crisis unit of the ship's operator Costa Crociere – three of whom are under investigation – showed the firm was partly responsible for his decision to delay giving the order to abandon ship until an hour after the collision. "You understand Costa knew something serious was going on," said Pisa. | Laywers said phone calls between Schettino and the members of the crisis unit of the ship's operator Costa Crociere – three of whom are under investigation – showed the firm was partly responsible for his decision to delay giving the order to abandon ship until an hour after the collision. "You understand Costa knew something serious was going on," said Pisa. |
| "The blame starts with the firm hiring Schettino as well as building ships which are too tall and tip over," said the American lawyer Peter Ronai, who is representing 10 Hungarian passengers. "We understand there are problems with machinery – my car's GPS is better than their radar." | "The blame starts with the firm hiring Schettino as well as building ships which are too tall and tip over," said the American lawyer Peter Ronai, who is representing 10 Hungarian passengers. "We understand there are problems with machinery – my car's GPS is better than their radar." |
| The American lawyer John Arthur Eaves, who is preparing to take Costa's US parent Carnival to court on behalf of 150 passengers, including Britons, said the €11,000 compensation offered by Costa Crociere was "disrespectful peanuts" compared with the maximum of $5m he would consider. | The American lawyer John Arthur Eaves, who is preparing to take Costa's US parent Carnival to court on behalf of 150 passengers, including Britons, said the €11,000 compensation offered by Costa Crociere was "disrespectful peanuts" compared with the maximum of $5m he would consider. |
| "The report in court reveals a lack of discipline, training, design and communications in Carnival's set-up," he said. | "The report in court reveals a lack of discipline, training, design and communications in Carnival's set-up," he said. |