Costa Concordia cruise captain claims superiors encouraged ‘sail-pasts’

In 135 pages of testimony, Capt Schettino, 52, told investigating judges in Grosseto, Tuscany: “Costa was aware of the frequent practise of cruise ships performing sail- pasts.” The ‘salute’ to Giglio had been planned and authorised before the Costa Concordia set off from the Italian port of Civitavecchia at the start of a week-long cruise of the Mediterranean, he said.

“It was planned, because we were meant to do it the week before (on a previous cruise) but it wasn’t possible because the weather was bad,” he told investigators.

Costa Cruises had in fact “insisted” on the stunt because it was good “publicity”.

Capt Schettino claimed he had sailed not only the Costa Concordia close to Giglio on previous occasions, but also a sister ship, Costa Europa. Other Costa commanders had done the same thing “all around the world”.

The president of Costa Cruises, Pier Luigi Foschi, has insisted that the company was not aware of Capt Schettino’s decision to take the ship so close to Giglio.

He blamed the skipper for needlessly causing deaths and injuries.

The death toll from the disaster is 12, with around 20 people from half a dozen countries still missing.

“Personally, I believe he was not honest with us,” said Mr Foschi. Asked if he thought the captain was drunk or on drugs, he said: “I believe he was not emotionally balanced. He was seeing his ship sinking in front of him.” Mr Foschi said the Concordia’s on-board newspaper had announced that the ship would pass five nautical miles from Giglio.

The course taken by Capt Schettino – which came to within around 150 yards of the shore – was entirely unauthorised, he said.

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