At least six people are reportedly dead and other 29 people are missing as the Italian luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia, carrying more than 4,000 people, hit a sandbar and ran aground off Italy on Friday evening (13 January 2012) near the western coast of Italy's Isola del Giglio. Among over 4,000 people on boat at that time, there were 3,200 passengers from Italy, Germany, France and Britain and also 1,000 crew members. The 114,500-tonne ship, one of the biggest passenger vessels ever to be wrecked, quickly rolled on its side with a long gouge below the waterline right after the dinner was being served on Friday night. The local coast guard chief Marco Brusco insisted that there was a “glimmer of hope” that survivors could be found. As the Costa Concordia's owners blamed their captain for veering shorewards on Friday to show the giant ship to local people of Tuscan island, 2,300 tonnes of fuel began to pollute the Mediterranean waters of the surrounding nature reserve.
The luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia hit the rocks Friday night just off Italy's western coast, leading to a chaotic and surreal scene to evacuate off the tiny Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy on 13 January 2012
The Friday the 13th grounding of the Concordia is considered one of the most dramatic cruise ship accidents in history. The Concordia ran aground off the coast of Tuscany, forcing more than the evacuation of some 4,200 people from the listing vessel
The luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia is seen from the Giglio harbor. Reportedly, the accident sent water pouring in through a 160-foot (50-meter) gash in the hull
Costa Concordia cruise ship passengers said that the first sign that something went wrong was a power black-out and large "boom" noise at around 10.30pm on Friday
The rescue operation was halted for several hours later due to safety fears; meanwhile, the Costa Concordia continued to shift a few inches further into the rough seas
Luxury Costa Concordia cruise ship runs aground
An oil removal ship is seen near the cruise ship Costa Concordia. Some 500,000 gallons of fuel may begin to leak into the water
Military rescuers patrol investigates the cruise ship over off the Isola del Giglio. The Costa Concordia disaster is estimated to cost group $85-95 million (67-75 million euros)
A rock is still embedded in the side of the stricken ship. The terrifying, chaotic evacuation from the luxury liner Costa Concordia reminds of scene from “Titanic”
Pier Luigi Foschi, chief executive of Costa Cruises, said that captain sailed too close to the island of Giglio in order to show the giant ship to the local people
The luxury liner lies only 50 meters from the island of Giglio
Environment Minister Corrado Clini already warns about an environmental disaster if the ship begins to leak its 2,300 tons of fuel on board
Many people are comparing the Concordia accident to another famous passenger vessel, the Titanic. Over hundred years, the issues with lifejackets and evacuation safety still remain big problems during the sinking of the Costa Concordia
The captain of the Costa Concordia cruise ship, Francesco Schettino, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter
The captain Francesco Schettino was arrested (along with first officer Ciro Ambrosio) for questioning by prosecutors and investigating for abandoning ship and suspected manslaughter. Prosecutor Francesco Verusio said to the ANSA news agency that Francesco Schettino deliberately chose a sea route that was too close to shore. Despite being reported that the captain was dining with passengers when his ship crashed into the reef, Schettino was found wrapped in a blanket on his way to the shore at around 11.30pm – 4 hours before the evacuation of the vessel was completed. After breaking the maritime tradition of remaining with his ship, Francesco Schettino faces up to 12 years in jail for manslaughter due to “unauthorised and unapproved” decision to sail so close to the eastern side of Giglio.
The tragic accident is seen from above
More than 4,000 people are evacuated to the close Italian island of Giglio. They are welcome by the rescue services, quickly housed by local communities and residents in schools, hotels and churches and provided shelter, blankets, food, medical attention
Latest video of Costa Concordia rescue operation
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Articles Source: Costa Concordia Cruise Ship Accident: Six Passengers Dead in Tragic Italian Ship sinking (Pictures)