Captain of “Costa Concordia” Said He Did Not Leave Cruise

Francesco Schettino

“It’s not true that I left the ship. I accidentally fell on the roof of one of the rescue boats and couldn’t get back on the ship because the boat was hung, suspended. Then I was on a rock on the Giglio island coordinating the landing operations,” said the captain of the “Costa Concordia” cruise, Francesco Schettino to Judge Valeria Montesarchio.

“I wasn’t even wearing a life jacket, because my life was not important then, I was thinking about the lives of others and that there were other people in need,” he added.

The prosecution of Grosseto continues to blame the captain of the “Costa Concordia” for leaving the ship when there were people still aboard. “The version of Schettino has minimally changed the accusatory box,” said Grosseto attorney, Francesco Verusio, who also accuses Schettino of leaving 300 people unable to fend for themselves stranded in the ship.

Rescue efforts had to be suspended on Wednesday morning temporarily, after they detected a new movement of “Costa Concordia”. To continue with the rescue, experts use small explosive charges to locate those who are still missing.

(MS)