FLORENCE, ITALY – The captain of the cruise liner Costa Concordia that ran aground on a Tuscan island in January killing 32 people was fired in July, the Costa Crociere company said Wednesday, confirming a press report.
“Costa Crociere confirms it concluded disciplinary proceedings against Francesco Schettino, ordering him to be dismissed,” the company said in a statement. Wednesday’s La Repubblica daily reported that Schettino, dubbed ‘captain coward’ for abandoning ship, was suing the company for alleged unfair dismissal.
Schettino apologised in July for being “distracted” on the night of Italy’s worst maritime disaster since World War II, when his ship capsized on January 13 after hitting a rock while sailing close to the island of Giglio off the Tuscan coast to ‘salute’ local residents.
Schettino, who was released from house arrest earlier in July, said he was not at the command of the ship when it hit the rock.
The prosecutor handling the case said Schettino told “embarrassing lies” when giving his account of his handling of the ship on a TV programme.
Schettino is under investigation for multiple manslaughter, abandoning his post before the evacuation of all 4,200 passengers and crew had been completed and failing to communicate properly with the maritime authorities. (Ansa)
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