Cruise ship disaster erupted after captain took boat on ‘sail by’ that ended up with 33 dead
It was an unplanned excursion that led to one of the world's most recognisable maritime disasters.
But the crash and sinking of the Costa Concordia seemed unimaginable when the ship was first launched back in 2005.
At 290 metres long, it was the longest cruise ship in Italy at the time and a shining beacon leading the way for the country's cruise line industry.
With room for 3,780 passengers - which for context is more than 2,200 more than the Titanic - and a crew of 1,100, it was a huge vessel that spent its days cruising the Mediterranean.
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But seven years later, it was all over after disaster struck. Tragically, 33 people ended up losing their lives as a result.
What happened?
Reportedly home to the largest ever spa that any ship had ever seen, the Costa Concordia was a luxury liner to say the least.
The ship - captained by Francesco Schettino - set sail on 13 January, 2012, having began a seven day cruise from Civitavecchia, near Lazio, on the western Italian coastline.
Hours after departing from port, the ship neared Giglio Island.
The problem with this was that it was a deviation from its course, moving closer to the island in a move described as a 'sail by' for those on board to gaze over the island. At the same time, the ship performed a maritime salute, which is where it sounds its horn to locals.
Disaster strikes
The move to go closer to Giglio was a fatal one. After spotting a rock formation in the ships path, Schettino tried to order to crew for the ship to be moved off its current course.
Unfortunately, due to reported language barrier issues with Indonesian helmsman, the ship was steered in the opposite direction.
Taking 13 seconds to correct the manoeuvre, the boat's bow swung clear but the stern caught the reef at 9.45pm. A huge 53 metre tear was then left in the left side of the vessel.
Flooding immediately took over the Costa Concordia, with the engine room engulfed and power lost.
No engine meant no steering. Due to the rudder position and the wind, the ship was slowly directed towards the island's shores.
Captain's message
Schettino told the Italian coastguard that the issue wasn't as serious as it in fact was.
At 10.14pm, he told them that the ship only had a blackout but 10 minutes later, he admitted that the ship was taking on seawater.
At 10.39pm, the first rescue vessel arrived, and just 15 minutes later, the captain ordered the ship be abandoned - even though reports say that lifeboats had been launched. At 11.20pm, Schettino left the bridge and abandoned ship, later claiming that he fell off the ship and landed in a lifeboat.
Crew abandon ship while passengers remain
Approaching 11.35pm, the final members of the ship's crew left the bridge of the ship. This was despite 300 passengers still remaining on board while it was sinking.
At 12:40 am, a coast guard called Schettino, who was in a lifeboat with other officers. When ordered to return and oversee the evacuation, he refused.
Luckily for passengers, rescue operations had arrived at the scene of the sinking ship. This included 25 patrol boats, 14 merchant vessels and several helicopters.
By morning, 4,194 people had been evacuated to Giglio, with divers saving three more from inside the ship the following day.
Deaths and prosecution
The crash was a huge tragedy, with 32 people dying in the disaster. One member of the rescue team also passed away.
It wasn't until November 2014 that the last body of a passenger was recovered.
Schettino and members of his team were charged with multiple offences, including manslaughter.
In 2016, the captain was eventually convicted on all charges and sentenced to more than 16 years in prison. He appealed twice, losing on both occasions.
Totals costs relating to the sinking of the Costa Concordia are estimated at $2 billion (£1.56 billion). One third of passengers took up Costa Cruises' compensation offer of up to $11,000 (£8,500) per person.
Topics: Cruise Ship, Travel, World News, Crime, Holiday
Tom Earnshaw