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The sight of the giant cruise ship Costa Concordia listing in the deadly embrace of the sea is a now a graphic symbol of failure. Its timing is absolutely eerie, coming so close to the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. But, unlike the Titanic, this disaster did not take in the middle of the ocean, far from the range of observation. The Costa Concordia appears to be almost touching the rocky Italian coastline. The digital revolution ensures that we are all able to see the wreck of the ship in living color. And then came the story....

When they make the movie about the Costa Concordia, the cruise ship that grounded off the coast of Tuscany, there won’t be romantic tales about its captain. Italian authorities immediately arrested him on suspicions of manslaughter and abandoning ship prematurely. He might have been the skipper of the ill-fated vessel in all senses of the word.

(CBS/AP) The cruise ship captain under fire for abandoning his vessel while thousands of passengers scrambled for rescue has reportedly come up with an explanation for his flight - he accidentally tripped and fell into a lifeboat: Capt. Francesco Schettino stated: "I didn't even have a life jacket because I had given it to one of the passengers. I was trying to get people to get into the boats in an orderly fashion. Suddenly, since the ship was at a 60 to 70 degree angle, I tripped and I ended up in one of the boats. That's how I found...

A woman from Birmingham (UK) says she feels lucky to be alive after arriving home safely from the capsized Costa Concordia cruise ship in Italy. Amelia Leon, 22, was in her cabin with her boyfriend, a crew member, when the liner struck the rocks on Friday. [snip] Ms Leon, a professional singer, said she felt very emotional following the shock of what she had experienced, and knowing people are still missing. She said: "The TV went on to the floor and completely smashed and the lights went out. 'This is horrible' "Obviously lots of people were pushing and shoving but...

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...

Italian navy divers have set off explosives to create openings in the hull of a cruise ship that ran aground near a Tuscan island, in a desperate effort to speed the search for 29 missing passengers and crew. Navy spokesman Alessandro Busonero said micro-charges placed on the side of the ship created four openings to allow divers 'to enter easily for the search'. Extensive debris and the 'sideways' nature of the ship has hampered rescuers from getting into sections of the stricken vessel. The holes were made both above and below the water level. Television footage showed the holes to...

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...

The captain of the Costa Concordia has become the most hated man in Italy. Francesco Schettino, 52, is at the centre of a Facebook hate campaign after being squarely blamed for the cruise liner running aground. Thousands have taken to the web to vent their fury at the so-called ‘Captain Coward’, who is now claimed to have ‘skimmed’ past the Tuscan isle of Giglio not just to salute a retired officer but also to impress his head waiter’s family on shore. Many scorned his decision not to remain with his stricken ship. The official death toll rose to six yesterday...

Upon departure from the port of a Giglio, an island off the northwestern coast of Italy, the cruise ship Costa Concordia struck a reef, tearing a 50 meter-long gash in her hull. Reports indicate the ship’s captain, Commander Paolillo, attempted to steer the ship toward shallower waters to enable an easier lifeboat evacuation. A reported 3,200 passengers and 1,000 crew were onboard when she grounded. UPDATE: The captain of the cruise ship COSTA CONCORDIA has been arrested by Italian police as an investigation into Friday night’s grounding is launched. Officials said Saturday that captain of appears to have taken the...

A cruise ship with up to 4,000 people on board ran aground on the island of Giglio, off the Tuscan coast, on Friday night, and UK media reported that at least two people died. The Telegraph said some passengers jumped from the steeply listing Costa Concordia and swam a short distance to the island. A photo in the Telegraph showed the brightly lit ship teetering just outside a harbor wall. Sky News quoted coast guard officials as saying two people died.