First I’m hearing of this whole thing.
Somebody catch me up...
Looks like the ship is laying in on the rocks in shallow water.
Lifeboats?
Looks like you could climb to the port side and sit there. Or, if fit enough, jump off the starboard side and walk ashore.
What am I missing?
Old, disabled, kids, non-swimmers, people who panic - most couldn’t swim the 200-odd yards of COLD water. Even if they could stay afloat hypothermia would get them in minutes.
The first shots I saw were at night, and indeed it was much farther out, although still within swimming distance (for those who could swim). Not sure if they tugged it toward the shore after it tipped, or what.
Think of a multistory building moving around leaning far over to its side while 4,000 people try to get out in the dark.
It wasn't sitting still and the panic would be immense.
Given that 95% got into a lifeboat and how fast it happened, it actually sounds better than it could have been.
http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/01/15/timeline-the-costa-concordias-last-minutes/
- 9:30 pm: The ship strikes an outcropping some 300 metres (1,000 feet) from Giglio Island, according to experts.
- 9:35 pm: The electricity goes off. Many passengers begin to panic.
- 9:45 pm: A first alarm is sounded: two long whistles and one short, informing the crew of a problem.
- 9:50 pm: The ship begins to list. In the restaurants, dinnerware falls off the tables. Some passengers rush to their cabins for their life vests.
- 10:00 pm: Some passengers begin gathering on the fourth deck where the lifeboats are located, as the captain tries to manoeuvre the vessel closer to shore.
- 10:10 pm: The “abandon ship” signal is given: seven short whistles and one long. Lifeboats begin their deployment.
- 10:20 pm: The coastguard launches rescue operations with the help of speedboats and helicopters. Giglio’s 800-strong population turns out in force to help transfer passengers to shore.
Many passengers jump into the chilly waters instead of boarding lifeboats. Around 40 are injured, two seriously.
- 11:15 pm: The first lifeboat reaches Giglio. In all, some 4,000 of the ship’s 4,229 make it to safety aboard a lifeboat.
Think of being in bed at night and your bedroom gets turned on its side. You now have to climb up a 16’ wall to get to the door to the hallway.
Now imagine if you are 75 years old and trying to do it.
Imagine you also have received injuries during the collision.
Also, the lights may be out.
Get the picture.
What your missing is the difficulty just getting off the ship!!
Middle of the night and pitch black.
Most passengers were 65+ years old. Just how much climbing do you think they can do...in the dark...with the ship tilted like that.