Costa Concordia runs aground - 7 dead

[livingstone]

An Italian Carnival Corporation subsidiary operated cruise ship carrying more than 4,000 people ran aground on a sandbar off the west coast of Italy on Friday night and media reports said at least six people were killed in the incident.

 

The some 3,200 passengers and 1,023 crew on board the ship, the 290-meter-long Costa Concordia, were being evacuated by lifeboats, helicopters and other ships in the area, a statement from the Italian coastguard said.

 

They were being taken to the tiny island of Giglio and put up in schools, homes and churches for the night. The ship ran aground at about 10 p.m. (2100 GMT) near Giglio off the Tuscan coast.

[thied]

The same new has been posted on the Australian and nz thread

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1548150

[Bella cruiser]

This is such tragic news, seems that she has now capsized.

[dougo in oz]

Terrible news - every cruiser's and shipping line's worst nightmare.

 

On the news tonight they said people jumped overboard in the panic and some are missing.

 

Let's hope they find them soon.

[Kiwi_cruiser]

There is another thread about the Costa Concordia running aground over on the Australia & New Zealand Cruisers forum.