This story made a lot of noise a couple of years ago. Costa Concordia, one of the most beautiful and expensive ships in the world, stupidly flew into the pitfalls off the west coast of Italy and barely reached the coast. Most passengers on the cruise tour escaped, but thirty people died and two were reported missing. The accident of the Costa Concordia liner is not without reason considered an apotheosis of absurdity.
Only captain Francesco Skettino was to blame for the death of the gigantic ship, arbitrarily neglecting all conceivable rules of navigation, navigations and navigation standards. The departure from the route for three and a half miles was due to the desire of the captain to greet an old friend who in the evenings had the habit of sitting on the island. An experienced seabass somehow did not think about possible pitfalls in this place. But after the clash, idiocy continued. The Costa Concordia received a thirty-meter-long hole, and passengers could not help but feel the blow and rattle.
Rescue operation
The captain for a long time could not realize the fait accompli, even assured passengers that there was nothing to worry about and, after solving "minor technical problems with the generator, the Costa Concordia liner would continue on the route. While the captain reassured passengers on the internal radio network, water continued to flow into the hold. Time to organize rescue operations was lost. After about an hour, it was already impossible to lie, the ship's roll reached thirty degrees, and the Costa Concordia could tip over. The evacuation announced finally took place in the conditions of chaos and panic.
The captain did not even bother to give a distress signal and seek help from the coastal rescue services. At that moment, there were 3216 passengers and more than a thousand crew members and service personnel on board the cruise ship. By coincidence, all these people were in the wrong place at the wrong time. They were lucky only in the sense that the coast of the island of Giglio was very close. Those who did not have enough space in lifeboats had the opportunity to swim to it. And the ship itself at the end of its free voyage did not go down to the bottom, but lay on its side not far from the island village of Gil Porto. Where it remains to this day. The last passengers were removed from it in the morning using helicopters. It was not possible to save everyone.
Costa Concordia - what's next?
Residents of a small and little-known island off the coast of Italy felt for several days the attention of all the world media. And the island itself suddenly became the owner of such a landmark as the wreckage of a transoceanic cruise ship on its shore. Costa Concordia was one of the ten largest ships of its kind in the world. Residents of the island are urging him to be removed somewhere. But this task is technically difficult and financially very expensive. So far, it has been possible to carry out its first part - the vessel has been brought upright. The question of his future fate is being discussed.