Captain Of Cruise Ship That Killed 32 Passengers Seeks Early Release From Prison

Francesco Schettino, the captain of the ill-fated cruise ship Costa Concordia, has made headlines again 13 years after the disaster that shocked the world.

Now 64 years old, Schettino has requested early release from his 16-year prison sentence.

Italian media reports that he has applied for “semi-liberty,” a provision under Italian law allowing prisoners with good behaviour to serve the remainder of their sentence outside prison after completing at least half their term.

A court hearing to decide his request is scheduled for March 4, 2025.

The Costa Concordia, owned by Carnival Corporation’s Costa Cruises, was a massive cruise ship weighing 114,500 tons. Built by Fincantieri and delivered in 2006, it could accommodate 3,780 passengers and 1,100 crew members.

The cruise ship was making a week-long cruise in the Western Mediterranean when tragedy struck on January 13, 2012. The ship had left the port of Civitavecchia, Italy, earlier that day.

Captain Schettino deviated from the planned route to perform a “salute” near Giglio Island, a manoeuvre that involved sailing close to shore and sounding the ship’s horn.

However, the ship struck an underwater rock, causing a massive tear in its hull. The damage flooded the ship’s electrical controls, leaving it powerless and adrift.

There were 3,200 passengers and more than 1,000 crew members onboard. The ship began to list and eventually capsized.

A total of 32 people lost their lives, and many more were injured in the disaster with the poorly managed evacuation that followed.

Schettino faced global condemnation after it was revealed that he abandoned the ship while passengers were still onboard.

He later gave conflicting accounts, claiming he either fell from the ship or went ashore to coordinate the evacuation. A now-infamous recording surfaced of the Italian Coast Guard angrily ordering him to return to the vessel, an order he failed to follow.

The incident was the largest cruise ship disaster in recent history and led to stricter safety measures and better training for officers.

In February 2015, Schettino was convicted of causing a shipwreck, multiple counts of manslaughter, abandoning his passengers, and dereliction of duty.

He was sentenced to 16 years in prison. After exhausting all appeals in 2017, he began serving his sentence at a prison in Rome.

Costa Cruises, the operator of the ship, was fined over $1 million and reached settlements with passengers and victims’ families.

Carnival Corporation also implemented several measures, including launching a training centre in the Netherlands in 2016 to ensure better management and safety practices.

Survivors and families of the victims have expressed anger over the petition filed by Schettino for his early release, pointing out the emotional scars and physical injuries many still endure.

Reference: Full Avante News

Source: Maritime Shipping News