COSTA CONCORDIA Sinks in Italy Due to Human Error, Captain Under Investigation for Manslaughter

COSTA CONCORDIA Sinks in Italy Due to Human Error, Captain Under Investigation for Manslaughter

Six people are dead and 16 remain missing after the cruise ship COSTA CONCORDIA hit a reef and capsized into the port area of Giglio, Italy with 4,200 passengers on board. On Monday, authorities were forced to suspend their ongoing rescue mission due to poor weather conditions. They feared the ship, currently perched sideways on the reef, may topple over and endanger the lives of the rescue divers.

Carnival Corp. is the parent corporation of the Italian company that owns the COSTA CONCORDIA; Carnival claims the ship passed all safety and technical tests in its 2011 evaluation. All cruise ships use electronic equipment to measure depth and sounding during their pre-set routes and have alarms that go off when a vessel deviates from the map. Italian investigators blame human error for the tragedy, alleging Captain Francesco Schettino made an unapproved and unauthorized maneuver, causing the ship to venture too close the coast and crash into the reef. Schettino is under investigation for manslaughter and the allegations he abandoned ship before the passengers were safe, in violation of maritime law.

Rescued passengers are coming forward to say there were unexplained delays and lack of organization in the chaotic aftermath of the crash. At least seven Massachusetts residents are safe after the accident, including a family from Braintree and honeymooners from Boston.

There are a number of outstanding issues still surrounding the sinking of the COSTA CONCORDIA and this blog will update with new information and legal consequences as the story unfolds. 120 Americans were on board the ship when it capsized, and not all are accounted for. Anyone who suffered injuries in this cruise ship accident or who has a loved one dead or missing as a result of the accident should contact a maritime attorney right away – you may have a cause of action, and the time for filing a lawsuit may be shorter than you expect.

Latti & Anderson LLP – Boston maritime attorneys