Costa Concordia inquiry

[Skerries]

Watched a two part re-run of the Costa Concordia disaster and the subsequent inquiry and court case.
Conclusions:
Who on earth was in charge on the bridge?
Why were they so close to the island?
Why didn’t the Capt tell the Coastguard that he was taking in water and not just in a ‘blackout’ situation.
Why didn’t the Capt talk to the passengers himself?
Why were passengers not sent to muster stations?
Why wasn’t the general alarm not sounded for over 1 hour?
Where were the Officers/responsible crew when passengers were in a state of panic?
Why was the Capt and his First Officer in a lifeboat headed for shore when there were still hundreds of people still onboard?
Why did the Courts allow plea bargaining and only the Captain faced the music?

It’s really frightening to think how many other cruise liners are out there with a similar potential for disaster to strike! More drills, more training and more understanding of roles and responsibilities at times of crisis onboard. I just got the feeling that no one took any real ownership from the Captain down!

[G.Gaskin]

Typical of the Italians and Greek crews, remember TSMS LAKONIA, she caught fire in December 1963 and sunk. 128 people died. There were reports of the Greek crew jumping into lifeboats and ignoring the passengers just as did the captain of Concordia.

[rogd]

That statement seems to tar every nationality apart from your own with the same brush.
Very prejudiced if I may say so.

[Engine Serang]

Too many romantic notions about command.
While Captain Warsash is going down with his ship Captain Silvio has gone ashore in the first lifeboat to arrange hotel accommodation for his guests. Pragmatism.

[R58484957]

Or to save himself, he even left his girlfriend on board. That’s selfish.

[G.Gaskin]

Not at all rogd, I only mention Italian and Greek captains who are infamous for abandoning their stricken ships, and no other nationalities, for example Captain Francesco Schettino “Italian” dubbed by the press as “Captain Coward” and then Captain Byron Voutsinas “Greek” see report below,
In 1965, the Bahama Star was sailing twelve miles behind the SS Yarmouth Castle when Captain Brown noticed smoke and fire emerging from the distant vessel. Brown ordered full steam ahead, in an attempt to rescue those stranded aboard the Yarmouth, only to find the ship’s cowardly captain, Byron Voutsinas, floating safely in a lifeboat. While helpless, abandoned passengers were jumping overboard, an enraged Brown scolded Voutsinas and ordered him back to his inflamed ship to assist in the evacuation.

[Engine Serang]

MTS Oceanos is another example of senior officers looking after themselves and letting "The Entertainers" assist the passengers.

In any ship I sailed on it was accepted that (should a situation arise) the Master need not necessarily go down with his ship but him and the Chief Engineer would be the last men off. RHIP.

[Skerries]

Originally Posted by G.Gaskin

Not at all rogd, I only mention Italian and Greek captains who are infamous for abandoning their stricken ships, and no other nationalities, for example Captain Francesco Schettino “Italian” dubbed by the press as “Captain Coward” and then Captain Byron Voutsinas “Greek” see report below,
In 1965, the Bahama Star was sailing twelve miles behind the SS Yarmouth Castle when Captain Brown noticed smoke and fire emerging from the distant vessel. Brown ordered full steam ahead, in an attempt to rescue those stranded aboard the Yarmouth, only to find the ship’s cowardly captain, Byron Voutsinas, floating safely in a lifeboat. While helpless, abandoned passengers were jumping overboard, an enraged Brown scolded Voutsinas and ordered him back to his inflamed ship to assist in the evacuation.

Sounds like what happened to Shettino when the Coastguard ordered him back on board but he refused. He later claimed he was co ordinating the rescue from the nearby cliff top.