Human error, then backed up by cowardice, or is the captain just being made a scape goat?
The Italian coast guard orders in vain the captain of the capsized Italian cruise ship to return on board to oversee the evacuation, according to a recording of the conversation released by a leading Italian newspaper.
Corriere della Sera published the tape, which it said was recorded by the coast guard, on its website.
Captain Francesco Schettino was arrested on Saturday accused of manslaughter and of abandoning the ship before all people were evacuated
He's the captain - one of his responsibilities is to be the last living person to leave the ship. Also to oversee the evacuation of all passengers and crew. And the main one is not to deviate from the planned route into shallow water with known rock outcrops to wave at a retired colleague.
We don't have all the info yet, but it looks as if he treated the ship as his personal ego-trip.
Although the immediate leaking of the transcripts of the interrogation by the investigating judge is deplorable and doesn't offer much confidence of a proper investigation since the information must have come from the office of the judiciary.
i would say before we all judge and listen to the media, let us wait for the outcome of the inquiry eh? :thumbup:
we have an inquiry going on right now about the press and the reports it makes.
The ship's owners have said that the change of course had not been authorised but this morning Lloyds Maritime stated that the ship had actually sailed much closer to the shore last August and that the company must have known this.
I think it's pretty clear that the Captain has made a catastrophic error but his employers have been very quick to hang him out to dry.
The Captain should have been on the ship co-ordinating the exit and making sure that the lifeboats on the seaward side were unlocked and partially released to prevent what ultimately happened (they becoming stuck). First rule on a listing ship that is at risk of sinking is to unlock the lifeboats on both sides and release the lifeboats on the side away from the list (tilt) otherwise friction on the side of the ship overcomes gravity and the boats wont fall. This is critically important as lifeboats on the tilting side are at risk of being swamped by the ships superstructure and failing to release the other boats would result in none being available to use safely.
The Coastguard recording is appalling and completely damning because it was clear that he was off his ship whilst crew, passengers and seemingly rescuers were on it and strugging to get off. Prior to that time, I am sure that we will eventually see from radar recordings where the ship actually was but to be honest even if he was not on the Bridge and a junior officer was on watch it is still ultimately the Captains responsibility.
It is inconceivable that there would be uncharted reefs/submerged rocks anywhere where a ship of that size should be safely navigating.
I would have a reasonable bet that this Captain is in for a very hard time and from early indications he deserves everything that is coming at him. The only thing he did right was steer the ship towards land and allow momentum to get him close to shore. Before and after that he cocked it up monumentally and then followed the comically observed and ironic Italian propency to run. No doubt the WW2 jokes about Italians will be being revisited as we speak.
Fess up time....
This was a profession (ships) of mine in a former life and the Captain (and Bridge crew) will have been very familiar with that coastline AND they would have access to local Pilot guides, charts of various scales as well as modern electronic gadgetry that simply did not exist in my era. That said, whether the old style paper charts had been prepared for the planned course AND the island detour is open to question. I would have thought these days though that electronic charts would be available at the push of a button?
You would have to be a knob of the worst possible kind to put any kind of ship anywhere within about 10 miles of underwater obstructions let alone a cruise liner with 4,000+ people on it. The news is suggesting that the ship did not pass mid channel between the island and mainland as it should have but instead passed very close to the island - the suggestion being that it had done this before therefore it would be ok this time?
Sorry but this guy is wrong on every level but even if it was some kind of submerged uncharted rock he put himself, his crew and his passengers at great risk by deviating from what would be the "insured" routing. Then leaving the ship and leaving everyone to themselves - simply criminal.
At the inquiry of the sinking of the Titanic the most senior Officer alive was asked when did he leave the ship. He answered that he didn't, the ship left him............times have changed
Dave_Notts
Being Italian isn't a race, they are a nation. And history acknowledges too-hots sentiments.
No one in their right mind can surely compare people on this forum trying to justify a word that is highly offensive and very racist with the actions of a cowardly Ships Captain? An Italian man with the deaths of many people on his hands who, like Italian armies of recent history he ran as fast as he could from danger.
I just hope this isn't the beginning of a stalking campaign but then again we are talking about a football fan here - not known for their sensibilities when they feel that one of their beloved has been scorned.
Whilst I am sure too-hots remark was a barbed jibe, as used by many passionate orators when putting their point across. The fact that that you proceed to pull that one point apart and prove it to the point of absurdity surely negates your own signature regarding political correctness?
You are going to great lengths to be prove someone to be un-pc so as to disprove their argument. But it doesn't matter as the current evidence alleges
in this instance the captain acted cowardly and therefore the argument stands.
Haha I say don't be jealous of our cider and cream teas....though the Worzels are from Somerset!
But back on topic, the captain didn't behave in the way that was appropriate for his position. His actions speak volumes about his character and he should receive the full penalty of the law!
There is not the slightest doubt that this guy has fucked up, even if he just didn't know what was going on, but I wouldn't be rushing to hang him based on newspaper allegations.
:rotflmao:
:lol: :lol: :lol:
