[Mich Patriot]

"...most couldn’t swim the 200-odd yards of COLD water."

Point taken, but HOW cold is it? I realize it's winter, but it's the Mediterranean, not the North Atlantic. I wonder how much difference there is?

[thackney]

Some passengers braved the water, with a temperature of about 57 degrees, and swam to safety. Others had no choice, as they fell into the chilly water. Nighttime temperatures on Giglio have recently dipped below freezing.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/16/world/europe/italy-ship-scene/?hpt=wo_c1

[buwaya]

I make it 12-15 degrees Celsius according to Euroweather -

Or about 54-59 F

http://www.eurometeo.com/english/sst

It doesn’t seem that cold, but even that temperature will cause death by hypothermia for many people over a couple of hours, and will probably disable them much sooner than that, particularly the elderly.

[NautiNurse]

Giglio Italy is at the same latitude as Boston MA. Brrrrr.