Costa Concordia SINKING

[G.M.T.]

The short and confusing answer is generally yes, but no. Seismological and Geological shifts as well as erosion can cause larger formations to break off and shift position. Sonar will detect these but often times not fast enough to do any good, and even if you detect one, avoiding it or attempting to can take you into the path of another. This is not common in shallower waters (more likely in the Ring of Fire) but it can happen at any time. Whether it did here, who knows.

 

With that it mind, let me point out there are three things we know factually. The ship is aground with a hull breach and up to 8 people (reports very 3 is confirmed) have died with bodies recovered, and the vast majority and passengers got off the ship safely. That's it. Anything else is speculation including as to how and when the breach occurred, what the captain was or was not thinking, what efforts were taken to right the ship, etc. It will be days/weeks/months before that is known definitively. (As an example, there was a crash between a tug boat and a tour boat in Phila where 2 people died. There were a total of 30 people involved and it still took 3 months to sort out the information and a year to get a report).

 

It will be at least a month before a salvage decision is made although environmental remediation will start as soon as possible. Like when you total your car, the decision will be made by the insurer and lienholder, with Costa Cruises advising of intent.

 

With that said, a couple of my thoughts:

 

1> Given the apparent size of the visible damage alone, if this incident ends up with less than 50 fatalities, I will consider it to be if not a miracle a very favorable outcome. Despite reports of problems, 4200 or so people were evacuated off the ship with mostly minor or no injuries and at least one of the deaths was reported to be someone who jumped off the ship and tried to swim (never a good idea for many reasons)

 

2> I've heard reports it was 'lucky' they were near the island. Depending on where the incident started, those shallow waters may have caused the incident, which brings up a key point. Incidents like this one are NOT likely in deeper waters for fairly obvious reasons.

 

3> The Italian coast Guard and the Island of Giglio are not getting enough credit. An island with 1850 residents mobilized to take in 4200 people, some being put up in private houses. And Coast Guard officers lowered themselves onto the ships to assist in the evacuation.

 

I agree 100%, especially about the local inhabitants and the Italian Coast Guard. They should get the respect and acknowledgement that they deserve.

 

Italy is well renowned for it's chaotic conditions, BUT when there is an emergency those chaotic conditions turn into a flawless emergency service.

 

Ron

[oliver_X]

italianguestemail@yahoo.it

Hey ItalianGuest, sorry if i got disconnect, but in that moments my girlfrind start to talking me by facebook, she couldnt call because the passengers were using all the lines. She's fine, with some contusions but fine, medics attended her and the other ppl of the crew, that slept into a church, so now they are all in a hotel that costa is paying it. So she's alive and fine, thank you for everything i appreciate too much your help and the others who tried to help me last night, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[reallyitsmema]

Agreed, no reason to shoot down any post that isn't completely 100% just about the welfare of the passengers. They have for the most part been evacuated from the ship and are being taken care of by the local authorities, residents, and hopefully the cruise line. Despite the stories of disorganization the biggest majority are safe and ashore. Out of over 4300 people there are still a very few passengers unaccounted for. All we can do is pray for their safety and armchair quarterback our theories as to what happened, and ask reasonable questions about what process comes next.

The poster posted the same question three times in as many hours. Once would have been sufficient.

[cls711]

I always thought it was the law to have muster drills before you set out. Did they really not have one??

 

On Costa passengers get on and off in different cities. For some the cruise may originate in Savona while others embark in Barcelona for example. The muster is scheduled the day after most passengers embark. As an American cruiser, I too found this odd when cruising with Costa.

[Red Mini Stapler]

Hey ItalianGuest, sorry if i got disconnect, but in that moments my girlfrind start to talking me by facebook, she couldnt call because the passengers were using all the lines. She's fine, with some contusions but fine, medics attended her and the other ppl of the crew, that slept into a church, so now they are all in a hotel that costa is paying it. So she's alive and fine, thank you for everything i appreciate too much your help and the others who tried to help me last night, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

great to hear she's doing okay!

[Davyjonesrugrat]

" If the ship is declared a total loss then it is likely that she will be left in place, the fuel and any other salvagable items will be removed and she will be left to rust away."

I have past experience. The final decision is one of costs to both the shipping company and the insurance company, if it is deemed impractical then they may well leave it as long as all the toxins and salvagable are removed.

 

Not long ago a brand new Anchor handling vessel was lost in the North sea, one of those onboard was a young child who died. That vessel still lies where she sank as they deemed it not financially worth it in attempting to salvage it. Im sorry but its a case of the cost of it

 

Whether the Italian Government take a strong view like the UK Government in removing all the remains will yet be seen. At this time I am personally hoping that the ship is still salvagable, hopefully someone like SMIT will be giving the task, in fact hopefully Smit have been tasked already and are enroute to the location with their personnel and equipment to save this vessel.....fingers crossed.

[reallyitsmema]

Hey ItalianGuest, sorry if i got disconnect, but in that moments my girlfrind start to talking me by facebook, she couldnt call because the passengers were using all the lines. She's fine, with some contusions but fine, medics attended her and the other ppl of the crew, that slept into a church, so now they are all in a hotel that costa is paying it. So she's alive and fine, thank you for everything i appreciate too much your help and the others who tried to help me last night, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for updating us! I am glad that your girlfriend is safe and sound.:)

[kruzerci]

Hey ItalianGuest, sorry if i got disconnect, but in that moments my girlfrind start to talking me by facebook, she couldnt call because the passengers were using all the lines. She's fine, with some contusions but fine, medics attended her and the other ppl of the crew, that slept into a church, so now they are all in a hotel that costa is paying it. So she's alive and fine, thank you for everything i appreciate too much your help and the others who tried to help me last night, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

That's great! Thanks for returning to let everybody know.

[KJE Atlanta]

Hey ItalianGuest, sorry if i got disconnect, but in that moments my girlfrind start to talking me by facebook, she couldnt call because the passengers were using all the lines. She's fine, with some contusions but fine, medics attended her and the other ppl of the crew, that slept into a church, so now they are all in a hotel that costa is paying it. So she's alive and fine, thank you for everything i appreciate too much your help and the others who tried to help me last night, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Very good news!

[VGL]

Hey ItalianGuest, sorry if i got disconnect, but in that moments my girlfrind start to talking me by facebook, she couldnt call because the passengers were using all the lines. She's fine, with some contusions but fine, medics attended her and the other ppl of the crew, that slept into a church, so now they are all in a hotel that costa is paying it. So she's alive and fine, thank you for everything i appreciate too much your help and the others who tried to help me last night, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Wonderful news!

[momomo]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/mickeymeece/2012/01/14/in-a-disaster-cruise-site-forums-offer-updates-and-assistance/

[gentlemancruiser]

News outlets are still reporting that 70 passengers are unaccounted for. Can anyone confirm this is correct.

[Ella2]

Hey ItalianGuest, sorry if i got disconnect, but in that moments my girlfrind start to talking me by facebook, she couldnt call because the passengers were using all the lines. She's fine, with some contusions but fine, medics attended her and the other ppl of the crew, that slept into a church, so now they are all in a hotel that costa is paying it. So she's alive and fine, thank you for everything i appreciate too much your help and the others who tried to help me last night, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

That's wonderful news about your girlfriend, so happy she is okay.

[alwayshappytocruise]

Im sorry but I still believe it to be 'women and children' first, especially if this had occurred out at sea and not close in, there may well have been a shortage of useable lifeboats and thus this need. If my partner had refused I would have picked her up and thrown her in

rgds

 

Really? Hmmm, doesn't your partner have the right to make her own decision?:rolleyes:

 

Lynda

[Signor John]

On Costa passengers get on and off in different cities. For some the cruise may originate in Savona while others embark in Barcelona for example. The muster is scheduled the day after most passengers embark. As an American cruiser, I too found this odd when crusing with Costa.

 

MSC does the same thing on cruises that have multiple embarkation and disembarkation ports. The practice seems reasonable at first glance, but it does mean that some passengers won't take part in a drill until their cruises are nearly over.

 

It will be interesting to see whether the practice of "multiple embarkation ports, one boat drill" will continue in the aftermath of the COSTA CONCORDIA accident.

[terilynns]

Hey ItalianGuest, sorry if i got disconnect, but in that moments my girlfrind start to talking me by facebook, she couldnt call because the passengers were using all the lines. She's fine, with some contusions but fine, medics attended her and the other ppl of the crew, that slept into a church, so now they are all in a hotel that costa is paying it. So she's alive and fine, thank you for everything i appreciate too much your help and the others who tried to help me last night, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I just cried.

 

So happy to hear this.

[Never at home]

Hey ItalianGuest, sorry if i got disconnect, but in that moments my girlfrind start to talking me by facebook, she couldnt call because the passengers were using all the lines. She's fine, with some contusions but fine, medics attended her and the other ppl of the crew, that slept into a church, so now they are all in a hotel that costa is paying it. So she's alive and fine, thank you for everything i appreciate too much your help and the others who tried to help me last night, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

That is great news, Oliver. God bless the survivors of this tragedy and the families of those that were lost.

[alwayshappytocruise]

Hey ItalianGuest, sorry if i got disconnect, but in that moments my girlfrind start to talking me by facebook, she couldnt call because the passengers were using all the lines. She's fine, with some contusions but fine, medics attended her and the other ppl of the crew, that slept into a church, so now they are all in a hotel that costa is paying it. So she's alive and fine, thank you for everything i appreciate too much your help and the others who tried to help me last night, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Oliver, I am so happy for you both as well as her family. I hope that we hear more positive outcomes....

 

Lynda

[Nikki Lisette]

More pictures and stories on TV. I am shocked like most people.I think Carnival corp must take their share of blame. Instead of concentrating on "nickel and diming" passengers they should have made sure their staff were trained properly and they had processes that worked !This is the worse disaster since the Titanic !

 

There was a Greek ship that completely sank with two Frenchmen onboard that drowned. I think the captain did a fine job of going into shallower waters. Not sure how I feel about the listing and subsequent capsizing with passengers still onboard.

 

I do know one thing, I will DEFINITELY take the muster drill more seriously. On our recent Christmas cruise I influenced my family to assemble at the "nearest muster station" rather than the one we had been assigned to. My logic was that in an emergency, we'd jump on the closest boat, screw trying to locate Muster Station C or E or whatever it was. And rather than listen to the muster drill, I sat fiddling around with my new camera. I won't be doing that again. :confused:

[IUCruiser2011]

This doesn't surprise me. I was a passenger on Costa Concordia last year, and the ship blew one of its engines and we couldn't even make it to Rome. They offered us a credit or I think $100 each, we took the money and ran.

 

We didn't even know we weren't gonna make it to rome until the morning of. I mean how stupid is that?! They knew the ship wouldn't make it the night before. Real piss poor communications at costa.

 

Great food and entertainment though. Oh well...RIP Costa Concordia.

[oliver_X]

haha Ireally got to update here, you guys tried to help me, so i'm really thankful for your words and support. Now im going to care about me, need a shower need a bed need to eat.. thank you one more time and take care ppl!!!

[Globetotter]

Hey ItalianGuest, sorry if i got disconnect, but in that moments my girlfrind start to talking me by facebook, she couldnt call because the passengers were using all the lines. She's fine, with some contusions but fine, medics attended her and the other ppl of the crew, that slept into a church, so now they are all in a hotel that costa is paying it. So she's alive and fine, thank you for everything i appreciate too much your help and the others who tried to help me last night, thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I'm sooooooo happy Oliver!!! Thanks for letting us know...!!!!

[Davyjonesrugrat]

The poster posted the same question three times in as many hours. Once would have been sufficient.

It may be due to language problems so a bit of leeway might be required:).

[Cruise Gopher]

An evacuation drill was scheduled for Saturday afternoon, even though some passengers had already been on board for several days.

 

"It was so unorganized, our evacuation drill was scheduled for 5 p.m.," said Melissa Goduti, 28, of Wallingford, Connecticut, who had set out on the cruise of the Mediterranean hours earlier. "We had joked 'What if something had happened today?'"

 

 

Just read the quote above in my local paper. Does Costa not do the evac drill on the day of embarkation at sailing time like most other lines do?

[terilynns]

haha Ireally got to update here, you guys tried to help me, so i'm really thankful for your words and support. Now im going to care about me, need a shower need a bed need to eat.. thank you one more time and take care ppl!!!

 

Take care Oliver! Get some sleep! <3