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Full transcript: Convo between cruise ship captain and port authority
http://www.wlsam.com ^ | 01-17-2012 | Staff

Posted on 01/17/2012 8:45:17 AM PST by Red Badger

GIGLIO, Italy (WLS) - Audio recording of the conversation between Capt. Francesco Schettino and Port Authority officials after the doomed Italian luxury cruise liner Costa Condcordia struck rocks Friday was released Tuesday morning. At least 11 people were killed in the aftermath, according to Italian media, and dozens more are still missing.

The following is a translation of the recording, which was posted on the news website Corriere della Sera:

Captain Schettino: It's Capt. Schettino.

Port Authority: Schettino, listen to me, there are people trapped onboard, now you go back, you will go with your rescue boat under the stern of the ship, there are some steps, you climb those steps and you get onboard and you get back to me letting me know how many people are on board. Is that clear to you? I am actually recording this conversation captain.

[inaudible, captain mumbles]

PA: Speak in a loud voice.

Captain: So, the ship right now [inaudible]...

PA: Speak in a loud voice! Put your hand by the microphone to cover it and speak up! Is that clear?

Voices in the background: "Tell him to come here. Tell him to come here."

Captain: So, right now the ship is tilted…

PA: I understand that. Listen to me, there are people that are getting off using the rope ladder on the stern side, you go back there and you go up that ladder the opposite way, you go onboard the ship and you tell me how many people [are there] And what they need. You tell me if there are children, women or people that need assistance and you give me a number for each one of these categories is that clear? Look Schettino, you may have saved yourself from the sea but will put you through a lot of trouble it will be very bad for you! Get back on board for [expletive]'s sake!!!

Captain: Officer, please.

PA: There are no "pleases"! Get back on board! Please assure me that you are going back on board.

Captain: I am here on the rescue boat. I'm right here, I didn't go anywhere else, I'm here.

PA: What are you doing captain?

Captain: I'm here to coordinate rescue operations.

PA: What are you coordinating? Get back on board and coordinate rescue operations from onboard the ship.

[silence, sound cuts out]

PA: Do you refuse to do that?

Captain: No, I'm not refusing to do that.

PA: Are you refusing to back on board?

Captain: No, I am not refusing to go back. I am not going because the other rescue boat stopped.

PA: Get back on board! This is an order! You don't need to make any other assessment. You have declared that you have abandoned ship, therefore I'm in command. Get back on board right now is that clear?

Captain: Officer…

PA: Can you not hear me?

Captain: I'm getting back on board.

PA: Then go! And call me right away when you are on board. There's my rescuer there.

Captain: Where is your rescuer?

PA: My rescuer is on the stern side, go! There are already bodies, Schettino! Go!

Captain: Officer how many bodies are there?

PA: I don't know. I know about one…I've heard about one, but you must tell me! [expletive]!

Captain: Do you realize it's dark out here and we can't see anything?

PA: What do you want to do? Do you want to go home? It's dark, so you want to go home? Get on the stern of that ship climb the ladder and tell me what can be done, how many people are there and what they need. Right now!

Captain: I'm here with my second officer.

[Schettino identifies second officer.]

PA: You and your second officer must get back on board right now is that clear?

Captain: I just wanted to tell you that the other rescue boat here with other rescuers stopped. It's just stopped. Now I've called the other rescuers.

PA: You've been telling me the same thing for an hour now get back on board! On board! And you get back to me right away telling me how many people are there.

Captain: It's fine officer, I'm going.

PA: Then go, right now!

ABC News Radio contributed to this report.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News
KEYWORDS: captaincoward; costaconcordia; cruiseship; italy; schettino; ship; shipwreck; sink; vadaabordocazzo
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To: Red Badger

Please and Thank You of course.

The Captain F’ed up big time.


21 posted on 01/17/2012 9:07:58 AM PST by ImJustAnotherOkie (zerogottago)
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To: bvw

It’s too bad because Italy has a long history of maritime excellence. One guy’s poor performance taints the reputation of a country.


22 posted on 01/17/2012 9:08:06 AM PST by billorites (freepo ergo sum)
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To: wideawake

The coward has the same approach to life I’ve encountered in many an Obama fan, section 8 folks, union and government workers of clerical stripe. All professional honor and belardment is for their own, except when there’s trouble. Then ...

It’s NOT their problem. Like the coward claiming to be in charge of the situation while in a life boat away from the boat. Their words parse well and and they make claims of great entitlement, but reality finds them all empty, empty, empty.


23 posted on 01/17/2012 9:09:27 AM PST by bvw
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To: Red Badger
Doesn't this Capt look like a spineless coward and greasy Eurotrash? I'm sure he was driving the rescue boat in circles sipping wine with his crew, looking busy to avoid doing the right thing.

I wouldn't trust this sleaze to captain a taxi ride around Rome.

24 posted on 01/17/2012 9:09:44 AM PST by Lazlo in PA (Now living in a newly minted Red State.)
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To: Red Badger
Captain: Do you realize it's dark out here and we can't see anything?
PA: Do you want to go home? It's dark, so you want to go home?


The PA couldn't even shame the coward back on board.
25 posted on 01/17/2012 9:10:03 AM PST by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: billorites

Yea, and early Christmas. He probably never fathomed that there was anyone worse than himself.


26 posted on 01/17/2012 9:10:14 AM PST by ImJustAnotherOkie (zerogottago)
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To: Red Badger

FR approved Magic words.

“Look you stupid SOBs, get your ‘sorry butts’ (FR response substituted for vulgarity) back on that ship RIGHT NOW! THAT’s A DIRECT ORDER, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!”


27 posted on 01/17/2012 9:11:52 AM PST by SandRat (Duty - Honor - Country! What else needs said?)
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To: Red Badger

Wow... Not exactly a “take-charge” sort of guy, is he?

I wonder what his history is. The ship captains I’ve known are some pretty salty old hands, crusty and hard to rattle. This guy seems like he’s green as a cabin boy.


28 posted on 01/17/2012 9:13:00 AM PST by Ramius (Personally, I'd give us one chance in three. More tea anyone?)
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To: wbill

The Captain, even after reassuring the Port Authority he was going to, never went back on the ship after he abandoned it. He will almost certainly face charges.

The one thing he did right after the collision, probably to save his own ass more than anything, was to ground the ship before she could sink. In that regard, at least, he probably did save lives but those lives were at risk due to his incompetence and gross negligence in the first place.


29 posted on 01/17/2012 9:16:29 AM PST by MtBaldy
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To: Lazlo in PA

Well, at least the Captain didn’t yell,”Allahu Akbar!!!”


30 posted on 01/17/2012 9:25:02 AM PST by donozark (Ron Paul! You magnificent bastard! I read your book! (cook book that is))
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To: Red Badger

Drudge has posted a video on the gCaptain website. the video was taken from a restaurant on Giglio Island and shows how dangerously close the Costa Concordia was to the shoreline as it blew its horn three times.

The Captain is screwed.


31 posted on 01/17/2012 9:26:01 AM PST by Presbyterian Reporter
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To: RWGinger

I was thinking of another mishap at sea as well. Wasn’t the captain Greek?


32 posted on 01/17/2012 9:26:12 AM PST by SMARTY ("The man who has no inner-life is a slave to his surroundings. "Henri Frederic Amiel)
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To: Red Badger

Chicken of the Sea


33 posted on 01/17/2012 9:26:50 AM PST by armymarinemom (My sons freed Iraqi and Afghan Honor Roll students.)
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To: bvw
The coward has the same approach to life I’ve encountered in many an Obama fan, section 8 folks, union and government workers of clerical stripe

Cowardice isn't limited to just Democrats, though I think you're generally right - Dems have more than their fair share.

Grace under extreme pressure is an undefinable quality....you either have it, or you don't. And either way, it's easily apparent to others whether it's there or not.

For instance, I'm in IT and my company recently had a serious (read: company-threatening) computer issue. The boss, who generally is a really nice guy and excellent to work for, was completely paralyzed by indecsiveness. His second in command took a powder (went on vacation for the week, and the boss let him!!!), so the whole thing was dumped on me. I worked with the vendor - the Boss "made the decisions", but was really following our advice - and we muddled through. I'm still drawing a paycheck, so I guess I did something right.

However, the Boss is already out the door, and the 2nd in command will be following shortly. When the chips were down, they just weren't capable of making the decisions that needed to be made.

Now, if we screwed up, it would have meant the end of work for a bunch of people. Inconvenient, but certainly not life-threatening. Contrast this with the life and death decisions that this captain had to make. I've no idea how this particular captain didn't get weeded out - at some point in his career, he must have been put in an all-in type situation.

34 posted on 01/17/2012 9:26:59 AM PST by wbill
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To: RWGinger
"What is it with Italian ship captains?"

Thier fathers were probably officers in North Africa that surrendered to the hugely out-numbered British in 1942........
"Gepetto, look, six British soldiers - quick, let's surrender the Division...."

35 posted on 01/17/2012 9:31:30 AM PST by Psalm 73 ("Gentlemen, you can't fight in here - this is the War Room".)
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To: RWGinger

there is no “women and children first” tradition in the italian maritime history.


36 posted on 01/17/2012 9:35:12 AM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: wbill
Can you imagine this guy coordinating offshore rescue ops, instead of from a position where at least a portion of passengers could swim to safety, or could get to safety quickly?

Given a choice of a captain who was not distracted by concern for his personal safety because he was already in a lifeboat, or a captain doing his best to get everyone off quickly and safely so that he could then save his own life, I'd prefer the traditional approach. This "man" is so low that I can't imagine wanting to live with the reputation he just earned.

37 posted on 01/17/2012 9:36:46 AM PST by Pollster1 (Natural born citizen of the USA, with the birth certificate to prove it)
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To: SMARTY

was it a ferry boat sinking in rough seas where the front gangway doors failed?


38 posted on 01/17/2012 9:44:55 AM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: Red Badger

“I’ve got those Yellowstain Blues...”


39 posted on 01/17/2012 9:47:32 AM PST by dfwgator (Don't wake up in a roadside ditch. Get rid of Romney.)
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To: longtermmemmory

Don’t know

I was thinking it was a situation where the capatin AND crew abandoned the ship


40 posted on 01/17/2012 9:48:25 AM PST by SMARTY ("The man who has no inner-life is a slave to his surroundings. "Henri Frederic Amiel)
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