THE CONCORDIA CRUISE MYSTERY, What Went Wrong?

January 13, 2012, 7:15 PM.

The largest Italian cruise ship in the world embarked on its 7-day European voyage. This vessel was christened the Costa Concordia. It was not only larger than the Titanic, but it could also accommodate an additional 2,000 passengers. Hence, a total of 4,252 individuals are on board. In terms of recreation, the ship offered a plethora of options! 4 expansive swimming pools, 5 dining establishments, 13 diverse bars, a casino, a basketball court, and a spacious fitness center equipped with a gym, a sauna, a Turkish bath, and even an F1 racing simulator were installed on this cruise liner. The initial stop of this ship was Savona, a city in Italy, expected to be reached in approximately a day.

However, merely 2.5 hours after the ship set sail, a sudden, piercing noise reverberated throughout the vessel. Subsequently, all the lights on the ship extinguished. And the ship began to list to one side. The clock displayed 9:45 PM. A moment when some individuals were asleep in their cabins while others were dining at the tables. Those who were asleep awoke and emerged from their quarters to investigate the situation. Meanwhile, the plates of the diners started sliding off the edges of the tables.

Passengers were informed through the intercom system that an electrical failure had occurred on the ship. However, the reality was that the ship's engine had actually failed. The captain was concealing this information from the passengers. As time passed, the ship began to tilt to one side, causing the passengers to realize that this was not a typical electrical issue. Concern grew among the passengers, with fears arising that this incident might mirror the tragic fate of the Titanic. Interestingly, the Titanic disaster took place exactly a century ago in 1912.

Strangely, as the ship experienced electrical problems, the iconic Titanic theme song, "My Heart Will Go On," was playing in the dining hall. Gradually, the ship tilted further to the right, leading to the lower compartments filling with water. It became evident to the passengers that the ship was in danger of sinking. Questions arose as to why the passengers were not being adequately informed and why the captain remained silent.

The ship was operated by an Italian company known as Costa Crociere. Initially, the company focused on cargo ships, but in 1948, they introduced their Costa lines. This move propelled them to become one of the largest cruise ship companies in Europe. In 2000, the company was acquired by Carnival Corporation, making Costa Crociere a subsidiary of Carnival.

In June 2006, they unveiled their first ship of the Concordia class, the Costa Concordia. This ship was the largest Italian cruise ship of its time, with a construction cost of $570 million, equivalent to ₹25 billion at that time. On that fateful day, the ship was under the command of Francesco Schettino, an Italian who had been with the company since 2002. His role in the events that unfolded would prove to be significant. At 7:18 PM, the ship departed for its intended destination of Savona, only to deviate from its course just two hours later. This deviation was not accidental.

Captain Schettino aimed to navigate the ship close to a specific island, Giglio Island in Italy, so that the residents could witness the majestic vessel shining in the darkness of the night. Typically, large ships maintain a distance of 7-8 km from the shore to ensure safe navigation in deep waters. However, in this instance, the ship was only 150 m away from the shore due to the sail-by. This proximity posed a risk of collision with underwater obstacles such as rocks or reefs. Moreover, the ship was sailing at night and at a high speed, as confirmed by the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport. The decision to sail so close to the shore raises the question of Captain Schettino's motives.

It was revealed that he intended to pay tribute to Senior Captain Mario Palombo, who resided on Giglio Island. Despite Mario's absence on the island that night, Schettino planned to sound a siren as a gesture of respect. The call between the two captains was abruptly cut off at 9:40 PM, followed shortly by the ominous noise heard in the video.

The feared event unfolded as the ship collided with the rocks in the water, resulting in a 70-meter-long tear in the hull of the Concordia ship.

The impact occurred less than 100 meters away from the island, with the vessel dangerously close in the darkness of the night. Water rapidly flooded the ship, catching 26-year-old Andrea Corollo, the third officer, off guard as he awoke to find the hallway already submerged. Rushing to the engine room, he discovered the door sealed shut, revealing the generators and engines submerged in water. Despite attempts to start the emergency diesel generator, the crew failed, prompting the chief engineer to alert Captain Chettino of the dire situation.

However, the captain reassured passengers of a mere blackout, dismissing the severity of the situation. As the ship continued to move away from the island, Captain Schettino eventually decided to turn back, realizing the danger of being stranded at sea in case of sinking. The ship's subsequent U-turn caused it to tilt to the right, exacerbating the crisis. Despite calls from the crisis coordinator, Captain Schettino only acknowledged the ship's problems later on, highlighting the dangers of denying the truth.

Captain Schettino acknowledged his error but proceeded to make another foolish decision. He attempted to conceal his mistakes by blaming the blackout for the accident, reversing the sequence of events. In truth, the accident led to the blackout. Meanwhile, some distressed passengers tried to contact the local police. At 10:12 PM, the Italian coast guard contacted the ship's captain, inquiring about the situation on board and informing him that passengers were reaching out to them. On the contrary, the captain claimed that nothing serious had occurred, only a blackout, and advised them not to be concerned. By this time, half an hour had passed since the collision. Ten more minutes elapsed before Captain Schettino finally altered his statement. He instructed the radio operator at 10:22 PM to notify the Coast Guard of the collision on the ship's left side and request tugboat assistance. He also mentioned that life jackets had been distributed to passengers and everyone was safe. Every minute was crucial as the ship continued to tilt. Finally, at 10:33 PM, a general emergency alarm was sounded, instructing passengers to gather in designated emergency areas and await further instructions.

At 10:48 PM, the ship was tilted at a 30° angle. Over an hour had passed since the incident occurred. At 10:54 PM, Captain Schettino finally issued the command to abandon the ship. Consider this, my friends. More than 4,200 individuals were trapped on board the vessel. The ship was leaning at a 30° angle, causing many lower cabins to be submerged in water and items to be scattered on the upper decks in disarray. In such a dire situation, the captain made a single rational choice - to execute a U-turn. Despite the necessity of this decision, Captain Schettino, driven by his deceitful and self-centered nature, sought to portray himself as a hero due to this action. While this decision was indeed crucial, his subsequent choices were illogical and incorrect. Furthermore, he continued to fabricate lies and mislead passengers aboard the sinking ship. Subsequently, the captain's actions led to widespread criticism from the public. Following the order to abandon the ship, chaos erupted on the Concordia. Some individuals had already escaped using lifeboats prior to the announcement, while others believed they could swim to safety and jumped into the water, making their way to a nearby island. However, once the captain signaled for evacuation, pandemonium ensued as passengers rushed towards the lifeboats, pushing and shoving one another in a desperate attempt to secure a spot. Fortunately, several crew members, disillusioned by Captain Schettino's conduct, had already begun to rebel against his authority. Approximately ten to fifteen minutes before the captain's directive, passengers were evacuated from their cabins and transferred to the lifeboats. "A steward approached us due to a malfunctioning key card and instructed us to take our coats and life jackets." Amidst the darkness of the night, the ship continued to listen to the right, reaching angles of 40° and 50°. At this point, passengers in cabins on the right side of the vessel had reached sea level, enabling them to easily enter the water and swim towards the nearby island.

The issue arose for individuals situated on the opposite side of the vessel. In a listing ship, how could they navigate their way out? Amidst this chaos, an Indian staff member named Karnaatha Rameshana was also present. She was the sole woman among the 11-member security staff of Concordia. She later recounted how language barriers became apparent. The majority of the passengers on the cruise ship were Italian, yet many crew members were not proficient in Italian. Furthermore, a significant problem was that most crew members lacked training for emergency situations, as they primarily served in a hospitality capacity. Despite these challenges, some crew members displayed remarkable heroism. Karnaatha personally assisted a blind woman onto a lifeboat. Two other members carried wheelchair-bound passengers on their shoulders and placed them in lifeboats. That fateful night, another Indian crew member, Russell Rebello, who worked as a waiter, was on board the ship. Prior to Captain Schettino's orders, he aided passengers in boarding lifeboats. Russell continued to assist passengers on the sinking ship until the final moments, but tragically, he was unable to save himself during the evacuation. The exact fate of Russell remains unknown, but it is certain that he perished while selflessly aiding passengers. Reports indicate that "Indian waiter Russel Rebello is said to have perished after sacrificing his own life-jacket to save a passenger and assisting others into lifeboats." Conversely, there were individuals like Captain Schettino who, instead of aiding passengers, deserted the ship promptly and headed towards the island. "Italian cruise ship captain apparently fled to a lifeboat and disembarked the wreck while his crew and passengers were still onboard struggling for survival." Yes, you heard correctly. The same captain who attempted to conceal the truth with falsehoods wasted an hour before disclosing the reality to passengers. Following his announcement, within minutes, at 11:19 PM.

He was one of the initial crew members to abandon the ship. Giglio Island resembles a small village with a population of only 700 people. However, on the night of the incident, some residents came out of their homes to witness the event. Upon learning that a ship was sinking, the deputy mayor of the island, Mario Pellegrini, took immediate action despite being a civilian. He bravely jumped into a lifeboat and ventured into the sea to assist those in need. Pellegrini described how people were trapped inside the ship as it tilted to one side, creating wells of water. He quickly organized a rope to rescue those trapped in the wells. During the early stages of evacuation, approximately 2,500 to 3,300 individuals had safely reached the island. By 11:38 PM, about 400 people remained trapped on the ship. Italian Coast Guard helicopters and fire and rescue service boats had arrived to aid in the rescue efforts. While they managed to save several hundred individuals from underwater, the exact number of people still trapped inside was unknown. At 12:42 AM, Coast Guard Commander Captain Gregorio De Falco contacted Captain Schettino, and the recording of this call is available for listening.

In his fury, he directly confronted Schettino, emphasizing that as the captain, it was his duty to return to the ship. He explicitly commanded Schettino to go back and ascertain the status of the remaining passengers on board. He admonished Schettino for abandoning his passengers and fleeing, expressing his disapproval. Schettino began to offer excuses, claiming that he couldn't go back. Despite all of this, Captain Schettino refused to return. Consequently, he earned the derogatory nickname of Captain Coward.

On one side, courageous crew members and the Italian Coast Guard tirelessly aided the passengers throughout the night. Meanwhile, Schettino observed from a safe distance, detached from the unfolding events. As the sun rose the following morning, revealing the full extent of the incident, people grasped its magnitude. Take a look at these morning photographs. They capture the exact location of the collision, showcasing its sheer scale. By morning, the majority of the passengers had been rescued.

Sadly, three individuals had been confirmed deceased, while some remained trapped inside the ship. Simultaneously, the residents of Giglio became aware of the incident and many locals rushed to offer assistance. Although the island was home to 700 people, there were 4,000 individuals on the ship. The residents generously opened their homes to provide shelter for the passengers. Elizabeth Nani, an employee at Giglio Tourist Information, reported that all the survivors were in a state of shock.

Some suffered from hypothermia due to the frigid water. However, everyone was desperate to locate their loved ones and friends. To accommodate the survivors, schools, churches, and canteens on the island were opened, offering them a place to stay. They were also provided with blankets and dry clothing. On the other hand, the ongoing rescue operation continued for the next 2-2.5 weeks. The Italian Navy, Coast Guard, Fire and Rescue Service, and various other entities were all involved. Rescue divers were particularly crucial, as those still trapped inside the ship were unable to open the cabin doors.

The high water pressure on the opposite side resulted in the entrapment of individuals inside the cabin. On January 14th, a South Korean couple was rescued from a similar situation. Unfortunately, many individuals lost their lives due to being trapped inside the cabin and drowning. Timely information could have potentially saved their lives as a total of 32 people perished in the accident. The subsequent challenge was the extraction of fuel from the sunken vessel and salvaging it to prevent it from remaining submerged.

Upon examination by engineers, the ship was deemed a total loss, rendering it unsalvageable. Consequently, the only viable option was to dismantle the ship and sell its scrap metal. The vessel, which was fully loaded with approximately 1.9 million liters of fuel, had just embarked on its journey, resulting in a full fuel tank. To extract the fuel, an oil barrier was constructed around the ship. The oil removal process commenced on February 12, 2012, during the winter season, posing the additional challenge of dealing with semi-solid fuel that required heating before extraction. Subsequently, a tanker ship was utilized to transfer all the oil from one vessel to another using a pump, a process that extended for over a month until March 24th. The subsequent task involved the uprighting and relocation of the ship, necessitating an extensive engineering endeavor. A steel structure was erected in the water to facilitate the raising of the ship, with work commencing in April 2013, a year later. Additionally, large boxes were positioned on the ship's upper side and filled with water to aid in the relocation process.

To increase their weight, ropes and cables were utilized to pull the boxes. These boxes, known as caissons, were designed to be watertight. A total of 15 caissons were installed. On September 16th, 2013, the actual process of straightening the Concordia commenced, which took 19 hours to complete. The method employed involved the use of pulling machines, steel structures, and caissons. The subsequent step involved making the ship float on water, for which additional boxes were employed. Caissons were also installed on the opposite side, followed by draining the water out from them, causing the caissons to float. As the caissons began to float, the entire ship followed suit. The achievement was marked by a resounding sound of success. A team of 500 divers, technicians, engineers, and biologists were involved in this intricate process. It had been 19 months since the accident occurred, and the cost of rescuing the ship alone amounted to $799 million. Another ship was used to tow the Concordia to the port, and this was accomplished in July 2014. By that time, the total cost of the operation had reached $1.2 billion. However, the company still had additional expenses to bear.

The process of scrapping metal from the broken ship required significant effort and financial resources. Over 350 individuals worked on this task, which concluded in July 2017. Following the rescue of the passengers, a wave of legal cases ensued. Eventually, the company refunded the price of each surviving passenger's ticket and provided an additional compensation of €11,000. This amounted to approximately ₹1 million per passenger. Furthermore, undisclosed amounts were paid to the families of the deceased passengers.

The company incurred a staggering cost of $2 billion due to this catastrophic event. However, you may be curious about the fate of the ship's captain. The individual responsible for this incident not only deceived the passengers but also failed to provide them with timely information. When the ship began to sink, he shamelessly abandoned it and fled. Even after the incident, Captain Schettino continued his habit of lying. During the court proceedings, he claimed that his foot slipped and he accidentally fell into a lifeboat when the ship was at a 60°-70° angle. He even went as far as to say that he was shipped off in a peculiar manner. Needless to say, no one found this argument credible, including the judge. In 2017, Captain Schettino was charged with manslaughter and received a 16-year prison sentence. As the story unfolded, more intriguing details about Schettino emerged. Mario Palombo, the senior captain mentioned earlier in the video, had worked with Schettino in 2003. Palombo revealed that Schettino had always been a habitual liar, often choosing to lie instead of admitting his mistakes. On that fateful night, another ship's captain, Roberto Bosio of the Costa Serena, happened to be on board the Concordia. Unlike Schettino, Bosio did not abandon the ship. He tirelessly assisted the passengers until the very end. Even before Schettino made an official announcement, Bosio had already begun evacuating people. Reflecting on the experience, Bosio stated, "Only a disgraceful man would have left all those passengers on board. It was the most horrible experience of my life, a tragedy, a heartache that I will always carry with me forever. Don't call me a hero. I just did my duty. A captain's duty. Actually, this should be the duty of all humans." Alongside the captain, five individuals, particularly high-ranking officers on the ship that night, were arrested and each received a two-year sentence.