Stricken cruise liner captain DID abandon ship before passengers AND refused to go back when ordered

Daily Mail UK ^ | 1-17-12 | By Lee Moran and Nick Pisa

[Red Badger]

Francesco Schettino to appear before judge today

Arrested on suspicion of multiple manslaughter and abandoning ship

Ignored order from coastguard to return to ship

'Offered to return to doomed cruise liner, but only to collect black box'

Junior officers led a 'mutiny' after he dithered in giving orders

Seventh person was found dead in shipwrecked vessel, rescuers say this morning

35 Britons on board reported safe and well, more than 60 people injured, 29 still missing

Reports Schettino was dining with passengers when the accident happened

The Costa Concordia's captain did abandon ship before hundreds of his passengers, it has emerged via a transcript of a conversation between him and the local coastguard.

Francesco Schettino, who will be questioned today by investigating magistrate Valeria Montesarchio, also lied to the Captain of the Port of Livorno's Coastguard when asked how many people were on board the sinking liner, Italian media reported today.

He initially replied '40', when there were actually hundreds still at risk, and when further questioned admitted he was not even there.

He then ignored an order to go back onto the sinking ship - with some reports suggesting he volunteered to return, but only to pick up the black box.

[Red Badger]

Well, that’s better than an underwater shot.............

[TexasRepublic]

That won’t look so good on the resume, will it?

[transducer]

In addition to his other problems, the captain is facing a trademark infringement suit over his personal coat-of-arms:

[Clay Moore]

Here is one of his other previous jobs.

Gotta love how those diesels never quit running!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-4lmNPSYAg

[longtermmemmory]

Captain Obama and the USS hopey changey...

[Mr. Jeeves]

Ayn Rand would not have supported him sinking with the ship. Altruism was certainly not her thing. “The Virtue of Selfishness” explained that rather clearly.

The example in Atlas Shrugged of what Francisco d'Anconia and Hank Rearden did to stave off disaster at Rearden's steel mill says explains exactly what Ayn Rand would have thought of the cowardly cruise ship captain's actions.

Altruism is self-sacrifice, and has nothing to do with the responsibilities of leadership.

[Tammy8]

I can picture Obama getting into his limo on January 20, 2013 and telling the driver to "get me as far away from here as possible." Yes, that is something I can see Obama doing.

I can see him doing the same thing too, and it would not surprise me if he did it sooner than Jan. 20th if this country has some sort of major emergency that he would be expected to deal with. Considering his lack of skills to deal with problems though it might be good if he did flee in an emergency.