Concordia News: Please Post Here

[foxgoodrich]

[quote name='Max49']No news is good news? Is Schettino's trial over? Are the Italian courts on vacation again?
I always come here for the Concordia/ Schettino news but it's been cold turkey around here for quite awhile.
What have I missed that I don't know why there is no more info or news?[/QUOTE]

Italy has a perplexing legal system I think! I believe I read that Schettino's trial will last until sometime in April?? Seems like they only devote a couple or three days a month to it. Maybe somebody else here has a better handle on how trials work in Italy, but I'm having a hard time figuring out a trial that doesn't just proceed from beginning to end without a whole bunch of delays in the middle. (Looks like it would be hard for everybody to go back to where they left off after all these breaks) I know his defense attorneys have asked for additional investigations of the ship, so maybe they are the reason for all the delays.
Anyway…I, for one, would like to hear the end of his story sooner rather than later.:o
Judy

[SomeBeach]

[quote name='Max49']No news is good news? Is Schettino's trial over? Are the Italian courts on vacation again?
I always come here for the Concordia/ Schettino news but it's been cold turkey around here for quite awhile.
What have I missed that I don't know why there is no more info or news?[/QUOTE]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"][COLOR="Blue"]Max, you haven't missed anything. I believe I read that about 1000 people are expected to testify and at the rate of one or 2 a week (which seems to be how it's going) the reports are slow or with not a lot of info.

For instance, yesterdays court appearance featured Ciro. Last night I saw a few short paragraphs on what he had to say. Just checked now and there was a bit more from a different source but it sure seems like not a lot of info provided given how important he should be to this case. If you go back to the DeFlacco link, again not a lot of info on his testimony. The only story so far that seems to have received a lot of attention was with the mistress. :rolleyes:

[url]http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2013/12/18/Costa-Concordia-captain-distracted-first-officer-says/UPI-81441387380321/[/url] [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[glojo]

[quote name='foxgoodrich']Italy has a perplexing legal system I think! I believe I read that Schettino's trial will last until sometime in April?? Seems like they only devote a couple or three days a month to it. Maybe somebody else here has a better handle on how trials work in Italy, but I'm having a hard time figuring out a trial that doesn't just proceed from beginning to end without a whole bunch of delays in the middle. (Looks like it would be hard for everybody to go back to where they left off after all these breaks) I know his defense attorneys have asked for additional investigations of the ship, so maybe they are the reason for all the delays.
Anyway…I, for one, would like to hear the end of his story sooner rather than later.:o
Judy[/quote]I agree it does appear to have a different type of procedure to what we are used to seeing. I would have been none the iser had I not followed this [URL="http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/08/24/20172412-lawyer-amanda-knox-will-not-return-to-italy-for-murder-retrial?lite"]trial[/URL]

To be fair though, I wonder how many hours per day evidence is actually presented to the jury when it comes to the more complex cases?

[Uniall]

[quote name='SomeBeach'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=blue]Max, you haven't missed anything. I believe I read that about 1000 people are expected to testify and at the rate of one or 2 a week (which seems to be how it's going) the reports are slow or with not a lot of info. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=blue]For instance, yesterdays court appearance featured Ciro. Last night I saw a few short paragraphs on what he had to say. Just checked now and there was a bit more from a different source but it sure seems like not a lot of info provided given how important he should be to this case. If you go back to the DeFlacco link, again not a lot of info on his testimony. The only story so far that seems to have received a lot of attention was with the mistress. :rolleyes: [/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=blue][URL]http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2013/12/18/Costa-Concordia-captain-distracted-first-officer-says/UPI-81441387380321/[/URL] [/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE][/quote]

[quote name='glojo']I agree it does appear to have a different type of procedure to what we are used to seeing. I would have been none the iser had I not followed this [URL="http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/08/24/20172412-lawyer-amanda-knox-will-not-return-to-italy-for-murder-retrial?lite"]trial[/URL]

To be fair though, I wonder how many hours per day evidence is actually presented to the jury when it comes to the more complex cases?[/quote]

Hi Guys

You're both right on target. Italian trials seem strange to us until you remember that they use the French Codal Law model where the court and jusges act in the expanded capacity of inquisitor in addition to the Anglo/American Common Law role of finder of fact and law.

[chengkp75]

[quote name='luisrp']Just stumbled accross this animation of the Costa Concordia events starting from the departure at Civitavecchia.

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhwW6FlL9ow[/url]

It says the captain used the bow thrusters to steer the ship closer to shore. I am not sure this is accurate because I don't think backup generators have enough juice top power the thrusters.[/QUOTE]

Strange video, wonder who produced it? It appears in the early panels to praise Schettino, but then in later panels it shows the slow response time and lack of urgency in the radio messages.

You are quite correct, the ship struck the rock at 2145:07, and the main power blacked out at 2145:58. At this point, the thrusters are no longer powered. The thrusters are 10k volt motors, and the emergency generator is 480v, and not large enough to power even one thruster. Not only were the thrusters out, but the emergency generator failed after 41 seconds, so even the subsequent rudder commands were useless as the steering gear had no power. The video even gets this wrong, as the hard starboard command was given at 2146:01, not 2152 in the video, which was just about the time the emergency generator failed.

[SomeBeach]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"][COLOR="Blue"]Uni, I always try to keep in mind your comments that Italy follows a different Codal Law than we do. It does keep it interesting. ;)

Italy's Supreme Court will be reviewing the plea agreements made by the others involved. Date is set for Jan 31.

[url]http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2013/12/16/Light-sentences-to-Costa-Concordia-staff-members-will-be-appealed/UPI-28501387224000/?st_rec=81441387380321[/url] [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[Mike.Minh]

[quote name='chengkp75']Strange video, wonder who produced it? It appears in the early panels to praise Schettino, but then in later panels it shows the slow response time and lack of urgency in the radio messages.

[/QUOTE]

There is a big difference between an ability to use 3D animation tools and delivering correct content. This so-called "video" is an example of gamification, to proove 3D skills of the maker, a virtual representation of an event they did not understand. They have done the same with other major desasters (eg. the Spanish high speed train crash). Pretty much everything is wrong with this, to start with, what's the point of the underlying Titanic film music?



/rant over :-)

[Uniall]

[SIZE=3]Cruise Critic has published my Cruise Report on our recent 9 day New York City sailing to the Caribbean. Here's the title and hyperlink.[/SIZE]



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[URL="http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=245943"][SIZE=3][B]http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=245943[/B][/SIZE][/URL]


..

[Uniall]

[SIZE=4][B]The Telegraph[/B][/SIZE]
[B]Sunday 29 December 2013[/B]

[URL]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/10506028/Costa-Concordia-court-hears-moment-captain-was-told-to-get-back-on-board.html[/URL]



[B]Costa Concordia: court hears moment captain was told to 'get back on board' [/B]

[B]Gregorio De Falco, who uttered the famous "Get back on board, for f---'s sake", comes face to face with Francesco Schettino, the captain of the Costa Concordia [/B]

[IMG]http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02760/costa_2760144b.jpg[/IMG]
Left: Francesco Schettino, captain of the Costa Concordia cruise ship. Right: the Costa Concordia sinking Photo: REUTERS/GETTY IMAGES







[URL="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/nick-squires/"][IMG]http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01768/Squires_60_1768792j.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
By [URL="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/nick-squires/"]Nick Squires[/URL], Rome

2:59PM GMT 09 Dec 2013


An [URL="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy"][B]Italian[/B][/URL] court was played a tape-recorded exchange on Monday in which Capt Francesco Schettino of the Costa Concordia was told "Get back on board, for f---'s sake", by a furious Coast Guard officer hours after the ship rammed into rocks off the island of Giglio.

The order, which subsequently became a talking point in Italy and adorned specially made T-shirts and posters, was given by an incredulous Gregorio De Falco after he found out that Capt Schettino had jumped into a lifeboat while hundreds of passengers and crew were still on board the stricken cruise ship.

The two men came face to face in court for the first time since the capsizing of the Concordia nearly two years ago.

In the days after the disaster, they were portrayed as two diametrically opposed faces of Italy, with Capt Schettino's dithering and alleged cowardice contrasted with Capt De Falco's resolution and withering appraisal of the emergency.

Capt Schettino smiled nervously and lowered his gaze when the by-now infamous phrase was played to the court.

[B]Related Articles[/B]


[LIST]
[*][URL="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/10460186/Costa-Concordia-officer-I-thought-Captain-Schettino-might-kill-himself.html"]Costa Concordia officer: 'I thought Captain Schettino might kill himself'[/URL]
19 Nov 2013
[*][URL="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/10446248/Captain-Schettino-was-god-of-Costa-Concordia-says-Moldovan-dancer.html"]Captain Schettino was 'god' of Concordia[/URL]
13 Nov 2013
[*][URL="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/10441539/Capt-Schettino-did-abandon-ship-before-all-passengers-were-evacuated-court-hears.html"]Capt Schettino did abandon ship before all passengers were evacuated, court hears[/URL]
11 Nov 2013
[/LIST]"I urged Capt Schettino to get back on board the ship but I was not able to convince him," Cmdr De Falco told the court after the audio tape of him telling the Concordia skipper to "get back on board for f**k's sake" was played.
"I still ask myself today why he left the ship".
The 950-ft long liner hit a rocky reef off Giglio at 9.45pm on the night of Jan 13, 2012, causing an electrical blackout and spreading panic among its 4,200 passengers and crew.
Capt Schettino, who is on trial for manslaughter and abandoning ship in the trial in Grosseto, Tuscany, tried to downplay the scale of the accident to the Italian authorities, insisting that he was in control.
But Capt De Falco told the court that he became increasingly suspicious of the skipper's assurances, particularly after the Coast Guard learned that a female passenger had called a relative in Tuscany by mobile phone to say that the liner was in serious trouble and people were pulling on life jackets.
The court was played a taped conversation between the two men at 12.28pm, nearly three hours after the ship had smashed into the rocks, and as the evacuation was in full swing.
The exchange appeared to show that Capt Schettino was in a state of denial, or shock, or a combination of both.
"How many passengers are still on board, Captain?" Capt De Falco, the head of the operations room for the Coast Guard in the port of Livorno, asked.
Capt Schettino replied: "I don't know, I'm in a lifeboat between the ship and land, but I think at most a dozen people, on the other side (of the liner)." In reality, at least 200 people and as many as 300 were still on board the listing ship.
The skipper was then asked: "How many people can you see in the water? Are there women, children? How many are there? Are people throwing themselves into the water? I need firm figures."
Capt Schettino again mumbled an assurance about there being just a handful of people still on the ship.
Cmdr De Falco told the court: "I called the ship because I was not convinced about this situation of apparent tranquillity that they (the officers) were describing. Later on they admitted that there was a complete electrical failure and asked if we could send motor launches and helicopters." The trial continues. Edited December 29, 2013 by Uniall

[Uniall]

[SIZE=4][B]The Telegraph[/B][/SIZE]
[B]Sunday 29 December 2013[/B]

[URL="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/10506028/Costa-Concordia-court-hears-moment-captain-was-told-to-get-back-on-board.html"]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...-on-board.html[/URL]



[B]Costa Concordia: court hears moment captain was told to 'get back on board' [/B]

[B]Gregorio De Falco, who uttered the famous "Get back on board, for f---'s sake", comes face to face with Francesco Schettino, the captain of the Costa Concordia [/B]

[IMG]http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02760/costa_2760144b.jpg[/IMG]
Left: Francesco Schettino, captain of the Costa Concordia cruise ship. Right: the Costa Concordia sinking Photo: REUTERS/GETTY IMAGES







[URL="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/nick-squires/"][IMG]http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01768/Squires_60_1768792j.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
By [URL="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/nick-squires/"]Nick Squires[/URL], Rome

2:59PM GMT 09 Dec 2013


An [URL="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy"][B]Italian[/B][/URL] court was played a tape-recorded exchange on Monday in which Capt Francesco Schettino of the Costa Concordia was told "Get back on board, for f---'s sake", by a furious Coast Guard officer hours after the ship rammed into rocks off the island of Giglio.

The order, which subsequently became a talking point in Italy and adorned specially made T-shirts and posters, was given by an incredulous Gregorio De Falco after he found out that Capt Schettino had jumped into a lifeboat while hundreds of passengers and crew were still on board the stricken cruise ship.

The two men came face to face in court for the first time since the capsizing of the Concordia nearly two years ago.

In the days after the disaster, they were portrayed as two diametrically opposed faces of Italy, with Capt Schettino's dithering and alleged cowardice contrasted with Capt De Falco's resolution and withering appraisal of the emergency.

Capt Schettino smiled nervously and lowered his gaze when the by-now infamous phrase was played to the court.

[B]Related Articles[/B]

[LIST]
[*][URL="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/10460186/Costa-Concordia-officer-I-thought-Captain-Schettino-might-kill-himself.html"]Costa Concordia officer: 'I thought Captain Schettino might kill himself'[/URL]
19 Nov 2013
[*][URL="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/10446248/Captain-Schettino-was-god-of-Costa-Concordia-says-Moldovan-dancer.html"]Captain Schettino was 'god' of Concordia[/URL]
13 Nov 2013
[*][URL="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/10441539/Capt-Schettino-did-abandon-ship-before-all-passengers-were-evacuated-court-hears.html"]Capt Schettino did abandon ship before all passengers were evacuated, court hears[/URL]
11 Nov 2013
[/LIST]"I urged Capt Schettino to get back on board the ship but I was not able to convince him," Cmdr De Falco told the court after the audio tape of him telling the Concordia skipper to "get back on board for f**k's sake" was played.
"I still ask myself today why he left the ship".
The 950-ft long liner hit a rocky reef off Giglio at 9.45pm on the night of Jan 13, 2012, causing an electrical blackout and spreading panic among its 4,200 passengers and crew.
Capt Schettino, who is on trial for manslaughter and abandoning ship in the trial in Grosseto, Tuscany, tried to downplay the scale of the accident to the Italian authorities, insisting that he was in control.
But Capt De Falco told the court that he became increasingly suspicious of the skipper's assurances, particularly after the Coast Guard learned that a female passenger had called a relative in Tuscany by mobile phone to say that the liner was in serious trouble and people were pulling on life jackets.
The court was played a taped conversation between the two men at 12.28pm, nearly three hours after the ship had smashed into the rocks, and as the evacuation was in full swing.
The exchange appeared to show that Capt Schettino was in a state of denial, or shock, or a combination of both.
"How many passengers are still on board, Captain?" Capt De Falco, the head of the operations room for the Coast Guard in the port of Livorno, asked.
Capt Schettino replied: "I don't know, I'm in a lifeboat between the ship and land, but I think at most a dozen people, on the other side (of the liner)." In reality, at least 200 people and as many as 300 were still on board the listing ship.
The skipper was then asked: "How many people can you see in the water? Are there women, children? How many are there? Are people throwing themselves into the water? I need firm figures."
Capt Schettino again mumbled an assurance about there being just a handful of people still on the ship.
Cmdr De Falco told the court: "I called the ship because I was not convinced about this situation of apparent tranquillity that they (the officers) were describing. Later on they admitted that there was a complete electrical failure and asked if we could send motor launches and helicopters." The trial continues.

[glojo]

A tittivating piece of tape but is it disputed he left the ship?

I am guessing the more important evidence will be from any witnesses that saw this person get into a lifeboat!

Does the captain still insist he was pushed\fell or slipped off the deck??

Once off the ship would it have been possible for him to get back onto the vessel? (polite query)

Respect to this coastguard officer for saying what he did :)

[Uniall]

[quote name='Mike.Minh']There is a big difference between an ability to use 3D animation tools and delivering correct content. This so-called "video" is an example of gamification, to proove 3D skills of the maker, a virtual representation of an event they did not understand. They have done the same with other major desasters (eg. the Spanish high speed train crash). Pretty much everything is wrong with this, to start with, what's the point of the underlying Titanic film music?



/rant over :-)[/quote]

The standard preliminary legal questions to establish the "authenticity" of photographic (still or moving) is:
[INDENT]"Does this photograph (or movie) truely and accurately portray the events as they occured on the date in question?"
[/INDENT]If it is a post even created representaion or animation a secondary question is asked:
[INDENT]"What was the the sequence of events and factual occurances which you used to create this representation?"
[/INDENT]It's the secondary question that allows for exchange of witnesses and arguments to determine if the created represention or animation is allowed into evidence.

[SomeBeach]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"][COLOR="Blue"]This is just one of 3 stories reporting the latest cost estimates on removal and liability for Concordia.

[url]http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/costa-concordia-insurance-claim-bill-to-rise-to-12bn-9027727.html[/url]



Cheng, on a side note and a little off topic: what do you think about the Russian ship stuck in the ice? I see now that the passengers will be airlifted off the ship with crew remaining on board. Realistically, how long could the crew remain there? As thick as the ice is reported to be it could be stuck there a very long time.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[balf]

[quote name='SomeBeach'][


Cheng, on a side note and a little off topic: what do you think about the Russian ship stuck in the ice? I see now that the passengers will be airlifted off the ship with crew remaining on board. Realistically, how long could the crew remain there? As thick as the ice is reported to be it could be stuck there a very long time.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE]

I have been following this story. At least the crew won't have to abandon ship like the Shackleton expedition, and spend the next year and a half dragging a boat across the ice.

It's to be hoped they can get the ship free before winer sets in. I have been to the Antarctic in summer and ice conditions are very variable even at the height of summer.

David.

[Ken711]

From the weekly progress report, they are working on removing both rudders which should be completed by January 12th.

[url]http://www.giglionews.it/2014010560295/news/isola-del-giglio/rimozione-rel-settimanale-28-dicembre-3-gennaio.html[/url]

[malnik]

Rudders? I thought it had pods? I'm only guessing as this seems to be the norm now in propulsion.

[matt87]

nope. that class has shafts. old school.

[luisrp]

[quote name='malnik']Rudders? I thought it had pods? I'm only guessing as this seems to be the norm now in propulsion.[/quote]

Common yes, the norm... I would not say so. Still plenty of ships being built with shaft-mounted propellers and rudders. Rudders and bow/stern thrusters seem to be doing just fine. In fact Carnival only has a handful of ships with pods and none of them are the newest ships unless some of the new builds from lines such as Aida, P&O and the other not Carnival/Costa branded ships will have them.

[sidari]

Has anyone seen any info yet on where Concordia will be taken ? or are the powers that be still not decided on that one.

[SomeBeach]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"][COLOR="Blue"]Glojo, a witness stated that Schettino jumped onto a lifeboat just before he did.

As to getting back on board, the Deputy Mayor of Giglio was able to get on the ship to help in the rescue.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Will Foschi's retirement package upset survivors, many of whom are still waiting for a settlement.

[url]http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/cruise-chiefs-13m-payoff-set-to-anger-costa-concordia-disaster-victims-9045325.html[/url] [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT] Edited January 8, 2014 by SomeBeach

[SomeBeach]

[quote name='sidari']Has anyone seen any info yet on where Concordia will be taken ? or are the powers that be still not decided on that one.[/QUOTE]


[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"][COLOR="Blue"]Hi Sidari. Haven't heard that there is an official release of info on where the ship will go. We already know that the suggested places can't handle her without some major prep work at the ports and I haven't found anything to indicate that work is being done at either.
Maybe with the second anniversary coming up we'll get some info.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[glojo]

It would be nice if the witness can categorically state the captain never tripped, never stumbled, never bent over and accidentally slipped or was pushed and I bet the defence might come up with a dozen other reasons asto how he ended up in the lifeboat... 'I just wanted to check the passengers were safe' 'I just wanted to make sure 'the bung' was in' :)

I would be interested to hear how the deputy mayor got aboard unless it was right at the endwhen her upper deck was nearly level with the water.

Thank you very much indeed for the update..

I'm away on Friday for four months so maybe this trial will be done and dusted (apart from the inevitable appeals)

John

[SomeBeach]

[quote name='CruisersNC'][url]http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/11/concordia-captain-jumped-off-ship_n_4253884.html[/url][/QUOTE]


[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"][COLOR="Blue"]Glojo, I think the witness was pretty clear when he testified as the link above shows.

As for the DM, I believe he went back to Concordia with on of the rescue boats and climbed a rope up and onto the ship.
What bothers me about Schettino is that he didn't even try. I guess some could be attributed to shock and I went with that for a long time. However I lean more towards his own self preservation now.

I'm sure the trial will still be going on when you return.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[sidari]

Hi SB ... Things do seem to have gone really quiet on what will be done with the ship when it is finally lifted.

Found this a few minutes ago.

[url]http://www.seatrade-insider.com/news/news-headlines/series-of-events-set-to-drag-costa-concordia-back-into-the-spotlight.html[/url] Edited January 9, 2014 by sidari

[sidari]

Latest news on Concordia and the trial.

[url]http://www.seatrade-insider.com/news/news-headlines/series-of-events-set-to-drag-costa-concordia-back-into-the-spotlight.html[/url]