The tragedy of the Concordia Cruise Ship is a fateful event that will be remembered by many. On January 13th, 2012, the luxury cruise ship crashed into the island of Giglio, Italy. The incident resulted in the deaths of 32 passengers and crew members.
The Cruise Ship was operated by Costa Cruises, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc. It was carrying 4,252 passengers and crew members from Rome to Savona when it crashed into the island.
It is believed that the incident occurred due to human error when the captain changed course without permission from the coast guard. The accident caused panic and confusion among passengers and crew members as they rushed to evacuate. Many of them jumped into lifeboats in order to escape, while some were forced to swim in order to reach shore.
The majority of those who died during this tragedy were Italian citizens, but there were also several citizens from other countries including France, Germany and Peru. In total there were 14 male victims and 18 female victims; 24 adults and 8 minors died on board the cruise ship.
Most of those who lost their lives were found in their cabins or near stairwells on their way to evacuation points, while some died after jumping into the sea during their attempts at escape. Among those who died was one crew member – a Peruvian waiter named Sandro Bellio – whose body was discovered two weeks after the accident.
In 2013 Italian prosecutors charged five people with manslaughter for their role in causing this tragic event; they included Captain Francesco Schettino and four other crew members who were on-board at the time of the crash. After a lengthy trial all five individuals were found guilty for their part in causing this disaster with Schettino receiving a 16-year prison sentence for his negligence.
Since then much has been done to ensure that such an incident does not occur again; stricter navigation rules have been introduced as well as more rigorous safety checks for ships operating in Italian waters. The memory of those who perished on board will forever remain with us as we strive towards greater maritime safety standards worldwide.
In conclusion, 32 passengers and crew members perished due to human error when the Concordia Cruise Ship crashed into Giglio Island on January 13th 2012; 24 adults and 8 minors lost their lives including one crew member – a Peruvian waiter named Sandro Bellio – whose body was discovered two weeks laterafterthe accident occurred. Five people were charged with manslaughter for their role in causing this tragedy with Captain Francesco Schettino receiving a 16-year prison sentence for his negligence. The memory of those who perished will forever remain with us as we strive towards greater maritime safety standards worldwide.