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| Costa Concordia captain faces survivors in court | Costa Concordia captain faces survivors in court |
| (30 days later) | |
| Sporting a suntan and dark sunglasses, the former cruise ship captain Francesco Schettino slipped through a back door into a Tuscany court for a pre-trial hearing that will determine whether he stands trial for manslaughter and abandoning ship. | Sporting a suntan and dark sunglasses, the former cruise ship captain Francesco Schettino slipped through a back door into a Tuscany court for a pre-trial hearing that will determine whether he stands trial for manslaughter and abandoning ship. |
| Nine months after the Costa Concordia smashed on to rocks off the coast of Italy on 13 January, killing 32, Schettino appeared calm during the hearing in Grosseto, even rising to shake hands with a survivor of the disaster and stating: "The truth must come out." | Nine months after the Costa Concordia smashed on to rocks off the coast of Italy on 13 January, killing 32, Schettino appeared calm during the hearing in Grosseto, even rising to shake hands with a survivor of the disaster and stating: "The truth must come out." |
| "I just wanted to look him in the eye," said the passenger, Luciano Castro, adding that Schettino had displayed astounding arrogance since the disaster. | "I just wanted to look him in the eye," said the passenger, Luciano Castro, adding that Schettino had displayed astounding arrogance since the disaster. |
| "I have waited nine months for him to say sorry, but he has not realised there was a tragedy," said another 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 another survivor, Patrizia Perilli. "I am really angry." |
| Schettino, who is suing for unfair dismissal, despite abandoning ship amid chaotic evacuation scenes, said he was attending court "to show my face to my accusers". | Schettino, who is suing for unfair dismissal, despite abandoning ship amid chaotic evacuation scenes, said he was attending court "to show my face to my accusers". |
| "In his black suit and tie, he looked like he had walked out of GQ," said John Arthur Eaves, the American lawyer who represents 150 passengers – including Britons – seeking to sue Carnival, the US owner of Costa Crociere, the Italian operator of the Costa Concordia. | "In his black suit and tie, he looked like he had walked out of GQ," said John Arthur Eaves, the American lawyer who represents 150 passengers – including Britons – seeking to sue Carnival, the US owner of Costa Crociere, the Italian operator of the Costa Concordia. |
| The hearings, which will continue this week in a theatre booked to give as many of the 4,200 passengers and crew as possible the chance to attend, will review a 270-page experts' report on the incident based on black box data. Six members of the ship's crew, including Schettino, are under investigation, as are three members of Costa Crociere's crisis unit. | The hearings, which will continue this week in a theatre booked to give as many of the 4,200 passengers and crew as possible the chance to attend, will review a 270-page experts' report on the incident based on black box data. Six members of the ship's crew, including Schettino, are under investigation, as are three members of Costa Crociere's crisis unit. |
| The 114,500-tonne luxury cruise ship capsized after approaching the island of Giglio to perform a manoeuvre close to the shore known as a salute. After striking a rock, the ship listed first one way and then another before capsizing on a rocky ledge. | The 114,500-tonne luxury cruise ship capsized after approaching the island of Giglio to perform a manoeuvre close to the shore known as a salute. After striking a rock, the ship listed first one way and then another before capsizing on a rocky ledge. |
| Schettino's lawyer began by demanding that the ship's Indonesian helmsman be included in the inquiry, claiming that he delayed carrying out navigation orders by crucial seconds as Schettino was attempting the manoeuvre. | Schettino's lawyer began by demanding that the ship's Indonesian helmsman be included in the inquiry, claiming that he delayed carrying out navigation orders by crucial seconds as Schettino was attempting the manoeuvre. |
| "It is absurd to think Schettino is the only one responsible – the report shows the helmsman mistook the order," said lawyer Francesco Pepe. | "It is absurd to think Schettino is the only one responsible – the report shows the helmsman mistook the order," said lawyer Francesco Pepe. |
| "It was not a sensible thing to do, but Schettino gave an order that was not followed. He has told me he would have had a near-miss otherwise," said Fredrik van Wijnen, the Dutch general secretary of the Confederation of European Shipmasters' Associations. "He is very capable. The problem is his personality – he looks like a playboy," he added. | "It was not a sensible thing to do, but Schettino gave an order that was not followed. He has told me he would have had a near-miss otherwise," said Fredrik van Wijnen, the Dutch general secretary of the Confederation of European Shipmasters' Associations. "He is very capable. The problem is his personality – he looks like a playboy," he added. |
| Schettino has admitted that he made mistakes but has accused the company of mishandling the response. He said last week he was suing Costa Cruises for unfair dismissal following the accident. | Schettino has admitted that he made mistakes but has accused the company of mishandling the response. He said last week he was suing Costa Cruises for unfair dismissal following the accident. |
| The judge threw out a request for an inquiry into the helmsman, while lawyers representing passengers pointed out that the report contradicts Schettino's claim that he helmed the ship into shallow water after the crash, aiding the evacuation. | The judge threw out a request for an inquiry into the helmsman, while lawyers representing passengers pointed out that the report contradicts Schettino's claim that he helmed the ship into shallow water after the crash, aiding the evacuation. |
| "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. |
| Lawyers said phone calls between Schettino and crisis unit member Roberto Ferrarini minutes after the impact suggested the firm knew the ship was sinking and was partly responsible for the delay in giving the order to abandon ship until an hour after the collision. | Lawyers said phone calls between Schettino and crisis unit member Roberto Ferrarini minutes after the impact suggested the firm knew the ship was sinking and was partly responsible for the delay in giving the order to abandon ship until an hour after the collision. |
| Schettino's voice can be heard on the black box recording on the bridge, but not Ferrarini's. | Schettino's voice can be heard on the black box recording on the bridge, but not Ferrarini's. |
| "When the case starts in the US I will be asking Ferrarini under deposition what he said," said Eaves. | "When the case starts in the US I will be asking Ferrarini under deposition what he said," said Eaves. |
| "The blame starts with the firm hiring Schettino as well as building ships which are too tall and tip over," said another 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 another 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." |
| Eaves said the €11,000 (£8,850) compensation offered by Costa Crociere was "disrespectful peanuts", compared to the settlements from $200,000 (£125,000) to $5m he said he would aim for. | Eaves said the €11,000 (£8,850) compensation offered by Costa Crociere was "disrespectful peanuts", compared to the settlements from $200,000 (£125,000) to $5m he said he would aim for. |
| The Costa Concordia is still half-submerged. Two bodies have still not been recovered. | The Costa Concordia is still half-submerged. Two bodies have still not been recovered. |
| The hearing continues. | The hearing continues. |
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