0:00

Ryan Reynolds here for Mint Mobile. With the

0:02

price of just about everything going up during

0:04

inflation, we thought we'd bring our prices down.

0:07

So to help us, we brought in a reverse auctioneer, which is

0:09

apparently a thing. Mint Mobile Unlimited Premium Wireless. I bet you get

0:11

30, 30, I bet you get 30, I bet you get 20,

0:14

20, 20, I bet you get 20, 20, I

0:17

bet you get 15, 15, 15,

0:19

15, just 15 bucks a month.

0:21

So, give it a try at

0:23

mintmobile.com/switch. $45 upfront for three months plus

0:25

taxes and fees. Promo rate for new customers for limited time.

0:27

Unlimited more than 40 gigabytes per month. Mint Mobile Unlimited Premium

0:29

Wireless. Selling a little or a lot.

0:33

Shopify helps you do your thing.

0:35

However you, cha-ching. Shopify

0:37

is the global commerce platform that helps

0:40

you sell at every stage of your

0:42

business. From the launch your own online

0:44

shop stage to the first real life

0:46

store stage, all the way to the,

0:48

did we just hit a million orders

0:50

stage? Shopify is there to help you

0:53

grow. Shopify helps you turn browsers into

0:55

buyers with the internet's best converting checkout.

0:59

36% better on average compared to the other

1:01

leading commerce platforms. Because businesses that

1:03

grow, grow with Shopify. Get a

1:05

$1 per month

1:08

trial period at

1:10

shopify.com/promo. shopify.com/promo. Hello

1:46

and welcome to Seeing Red, a true crime

1:48

podcast. I'm Mark and in the words no one ever

1:50

wants to hear, it's just me this week, there's no

1:53

Bethan. It is a really interesting case

1:55

though, so do stick with it. Before

1:57

we get to it, let's take a moment to thank our most

1:59

recent. and Patreon supporters. We

2:02

have Connor Williams, Katherine Geddes, Tara,

2:04

Sarah, Evie Little, Mia Reed, Davina,

2:07

Natasha Smythe, Sarah Monroe, Craig Watters,

2:09

Lazy Grace Steff who runs an

2:11

amazing event management grazing company. I

2:14

think she's based in West Sussex

2:16

and the surrounding area so do

2:19

check her out. I'll put her

2:21

website in our show notes. We

2:23

also have Claire Taylor, Lou M,

2:26

Alex Morgan, Jessica Henderson and Rob

2:28

McDonald. Thanks to each and

2:30

every one of you, so many of

2:32

you have been signing up to support

2:34

us on Patreon over the past couple

2:36

of months. We are so incredibly grateful.

2:38

If you would like to join these

2:40

people, all you need to do is

2:42

head over to patreon.com/seeingredpodcast. Now

2:45

when we think of naval disasters, we

2:47

often envisage tragic loss of life and

2:49

catastrophic events that occur out of sight

2:51

in the vast, uncharted waters of the

2:54

open seas too far away for us

2:56

to see anything. These

2:58

disasters typically involve shipwrecks or naval

3:00

collisions resulting from human error, technical

3:03

failures or of course natural forces.

3:06

The sinking of iconic vessels like

3:08

the Titanic and the Bismarck highlight

3:10

the dramatic and often preventable nature

3:12

of these incidents. Additionally,

3:15

naval disasters bring to mind

3:17

significant environmental impacts such as

3:19

oil spills and marine pollution

3:21

which can have long-lasting detrimental

3:23

effects on ecosystems. The

3:26

human stories of heroism, panic and

3:28

survival coupled with the technical and

3:30

procedural failures that lead to such

3:32

tragedies are central to our understanding

3:34

and remembrance of these catastrophic events.

3:38

This week we're going to explore one

3:40

such sinking of an iconic sea vessel.

3:42

However, what makes this story unique is

3:45

the fact that it didn't happen far

3:47

out at sea where nobody could see

3:49

but rather in the shallow rocky waters

3:52

just off the coast of an Italian

3:54

island in full view of hundreds of

3:56

horrified and helpless onlookers. The

3:59

sinking of the energy,

6:00

which was more than enough to supply

6:02

energy for both the vessel's propulsion and

6:04

also for its impressive arsenal of on-board

6:07

amenities. The ship had two

6:09

21 megawatt electrical motors connected to a

6:11

pair of enormous propellers which allowed the ship to

6:13

reach speeds of up to 23 knots or 26

6:15

mph, which at the time was

6:18

an almost unheard of rate of pace for

6:20

a vessel of its size. The

6:24

ship's structure was primarily made of steel,

6:26

providing the necessary strength and durability, and

6:28

inside a variety of materials were used

6:30

to enhance the aesthetic and the functional

6:33

aspects of the vessel. Marble

6:35

adorned the luxurious lobbies, while high-end

6:37

wood was used for the cabins

6:39

and suites. Extensive use

6:41

of glass offered passengers panoramic views

6:44

of the sea. Additionally,

6:46

the ship featured advanced navigation

6:49

systems, state-of-the-art safety equipment and

6:51

powerful engines, all of which

6:53

required specialist materials. Once

6:56

the exterior of the ship had been completed

6:58

and the major internal components installed, the dry

7:00

dock was flooded, allowing the ship to float

7:03

for the very first time. The

7:05

Concordeia was so large that it could comfortably

7:07

accommodate up to 3,780 passengers supported

7:11

by a crew of approximately 1,100,

7:13

bringing its total capacity to around

7:15

5,000 people.

7:18

Inside the ship featured 1,500 cabins, including 505

7:21

with private balconies and 55 luxury suites. It

7:27

offered five restaurants, ranging from main dining

7:30

rooms to speciality restaurants and boasted four

7:32

swimming pools, two of which had a

7:34

fully retractable roof, alongside a wellness centre

7:36

and spa spanning over 2,000 square metres.

7:41

Entertainment options included a three-level

7:43

theatre, a casino, a disco

7:45

and numerous bars and lounges.

7:48

Traders also had access to various onboard

7:50

boutiques in a range of activities such

7:52

as sport, arts and crafts that would

7:54

please Bethan and educational workshops, which would

7:57

please no one. Furthermore, the

7:59

Concordeia was a great place to be.

8:01

equipped with advanced waste management systems and

8:03

energy-saving technologies in order to minimise its

8:05

environmental impact. Throughout its

8:08

service it primarily operated in the

8:10

Mediterranean Sea and offered impressive holiday

8:12

itineraries that included stops in popular

8:14

tourist hotspots off the coast of

8:16

Italy, Spain, France, Greece and Turkey.

8:19

The Concordia quickly became known and sought

8:21

after for its luxurious delight and elegant

8:23

design, and by 2012 it

8:25

was a popular choice for a high-end

8:27

Mediterranean cruise holiday, attracting a diverse clientele

8:29

from all corners of the world and

8:31

pulling in millions of dollars in revenue

8:33

each year. For the

8:36

Concordia's owners at the Carnival Corporation, business

8:38

was good. However their

8:40

fortune was short-lived, as a person whom

8:42

Ned appointed his captain would soon prove

8:44

to be their downfall. Francesco

8:48

Scattino was born in Castellamerra di

8:50

Stabia, a small commune in the

8:52

city of Naples in southern Italy,

8:54

into a seafaring family. He

8:57

attended the Nautical Institute of Nino Bixio

8:59

in Piano di Sorrento, where he received

9:01

formal education and training in maritime practices.

9:04

This education laid the foundation for his

9:07

maritime career, providing him with the necessary

9:09

skills and knowledge to operate in the

9:11

shipping industry. He later

9:13

began his maritime career working for

9:15

the Italian ferry company Terenia. In

9:18

early 2002 at the age of 41, Scattino

9:20

was hired by the Carnival Corporation as

9:23

an officer in charge of security. Over

9:26

the next few years he gradually worked his way

9:28

up through the ranks to become the second in

9:30

command. And in 2006

9:32

Scattino was promoted to the rank of

9:34

captain and given command of that newly

9:36

launched ship, the Costa Concordia, which at

9:38

the time was viewed as a testament

9:41

to his abilities and the trust

9:43

the company placed in him. As

9:45

captain, Scattino was solely responsible for the

9:48

safety and well-being of the ship, her

9:50

crew and the thousands of passengers on

9:52

board. His role

9:54

required a deep understanding of the

9:57

ship's operations, of its navigation system

9:59

and its mission. safety protocols. He

10:02

went on to captain that ship for the

10:04

next six years with a flawless record and

10:07

without any major notable incidents. Until

10:09

January the 13th in 2012 when

10:12

the Concordia was docked off the

10:14

picturesque coast of Civitavecchia, a charming

10:16

port town in Lazio, near Rome.

10:20

As the sun was setting over the

10:22

mainland the crew of the Concordia were

10:24

busily preparing to embark on a week-long

10:26

Mediterranean cruise. The

10:28

itinerary included stops at various popular

10:30

tourist destinations including Marseille, Barcelona, Mallorca

10:33

and Sardinia. The passengers were filled

10:35

with anticipation and excitement as they

10:37

gleefully boarded the ship ready for

10:39

the journey of a lifetime. The

10:43

air was filled with anticipation and laughter

10:45

as families couples and adventure seekers explored

10:47

the grand vessel that would be home

10:50

for the next week. All

10:52

told there were a total of 4,229 people on board. This included 3,206

10:54

passengers from over 60 countries

11:00

and 1,023 crew

11:02

members. The Concordia pulled

11:04

away from the harbour on schedule at 6

11:06

p.m. Largely unseen amid

11:09

all the excitement, Captain Francesco

11:11

Scattino stood watchfully on the

11:13

bridge overseeing operations. The

11:16

journey ahead was one which he

11:18

was more than familiar with. A

11:20

popular well-traveled route promising the guests

11:23

a unique blend of excitement, beauty

11:25

and relaxation. The first notable landmark

11:27

along the pre-planned route just a

11:29

two-hour sailaway was the

11:31

island of Gileo, a picturesque Italian island

11:33

off the coast of Tuscany known for

11:36

its stunning natural beauty, crystal clear waters

11:38

and charming villages. The

11:40

island's main town Gileo Porto features

11:42

colorful houses and a bustling harbour

11:44

while the ancient hilltop village of

11:46

Gileo Castello boasts narrow streets and

11:49

medieval fortresses. From the

11:51

sea however the island offers views of

11:53

a stunning coastline and ancient medieval buildings.

11:56

Captain Francesco Scattino knew that Gileo had

11:58

been a real critic. crowd pleaser in

12:00

the past and he could think of

12:02

no better way to delight his passengers

12:04

than to offer them an early sunset

12:06

view of the island's picturesque coastline by

12:08

performing a sail by salute. Now

12:11

a sail by salute is something

12:13

of a long standing tradition amongst

12:15

seafarers and is categorised as

12:18

a maritime manoeuvre where a ship

12:20

passes extremely close to a coastal

12:22

landmark or port, often reducing

12:24

speed to allow passengers a better view of

12:26

the scenery. The practice is

12:28

sometimes performed to honour a location or

12:31

to provide a special experience for those

12:33

on board and the manoeuvre

12:35

requires precise navigation and co-ordination to ensure

12:37

the ship maintains a safe distance from

12:39

the shore and any other hazards while

12:41

offering a close up view. Sail

12:44

by salute are typically executed by

12:46

experienced captains who can manage the

12:48

complexities and risks associated with this

12:51

type of navigation. As

12:53

Catino, a sail by salute on Gileo was

12:55

in honour of his predecessor, an

12:57

ageing retired former captain who had once

12:59

worked alongside him during his tenure at

13:01

the Carnival Corporation and who now lived

13:04

on the island of Gileo. Now

13:07

sail by salute are something of

13:09

a grey area because they require

13:11

the captain to intentionally deviate from

13:13

the ship's pre-planned and approved sail

13:15

route. A skilled and experienced

13:18

captain can usually pull off such a manoeuvre

13:20

without incident whilst providing a thrill for the

13:22

passengers on board as they sail perilously close

13:24

to land. However, there is a catch.

13:27

Most modern cruise ships are

13:29

fitted with highly sophisticated state

13:31

of the art navigation systems

13:33

and anti-collision software. These

13:35

systems are designed to keep the vessel on

13:37

its designated shipping route at all times but

13:40

will usually allow the ship to deviate slightly

13:42

just in case the captain needs to swerve

13:45

to avoid a collision or something. But

13:47

if the boat were to veer too

13:49

wildly off course then the pre-programmed safety

13:51

measures would kick in automatically, override the

13:53

ship's control and force the vessel back

13:55

into its original course. This

13:58

wonderful bit of technology is what keeps a passenger on

14:00

any given cruise ship safe from meeting with

14:02

disaster at sea and prevent a recurrence of

14:04

the Titanic disaster a hundred years hence in

14:07

1912. Unless

14:09

of course you switch it off. Scatino

14:12

had done multiple sail by salutes of

14:14

Gileo on previous voyages so he made

14:16

a snap decision to perform another one.

14:19

The area surrounding Gileo was known

14:21

to be shallow and rocky and

14:24

such a manoeuvre required laser precision

14:26

and careful coordination. Nevertheless

14:28

with his extensive experience, Captain Scatino was

14:30

confident in the manoeuvre and knew exactly

14:33

where the ship had to sail to

14:35

avoid any mishap. Scatino

14:37

manually switched off the ship's navigation and safety

14:39

systems before giving his crew the necessary orders

14:42

and taking the helm. He then steered the

14:44

ship towards the island and alerted the passengers

14:46

to look out of the windows as they

14:48

were in for a treat that evening. Scatino

14:52

was in no way obliged to carry out

14:54

this sail by salute. The passengers

14:56

would have seen the island regardless, albeit from

14:59

a much further distance, and none

15:01

of them would have been any the wiser. Scatino

15:03

could have just continued along the pre-planned

15:05

route which was exactly what he was

15:07

employed to do and in all likelihood

15:10

tragedy would not have befallen anyone on

15:12

the Concordia on that particular voyage. However

15:15

sadly that's not what happened. Scatino

15:18

steered the ship gradually in the direction of

15:20

the island and reduced the ship's speed. He

15:23

then did something which was highly unusual.

15:25

He handed over the controls to his

15:27

first officer and gave him detailed instructions

15:30

on how to properly navigate the ship

15:32

in preparation for the sail by. He

15:34

then left the bridge and headed down

15:36

to the main dining room to have

15:38

dinner. As Acosta

15:40

Concordia approached the island and benaced

15:43

to Scatino, an unfortunate ripple effect

15:45

of confusion and miscommunication began to

15:47

unfold on the bridge. Some

15:50

of the crew were foreigners who did

15:52

not understand Scatino's native Italian well enough

15:54

and his exact instructions became lost in

15:57

translation. At this

15:59

point the manoeuvre had already already commenced.

16:01

The safeguards were deactivated and a series

16:03

of catastrophic events had been set in

16:05

motion that would end in multiple deaths.

16:09

As the captain sat down to eat his dinner at 9.20pm,

16:12

officers on the bridge were guiding this

16:14

ship on his behalf and they

16:16

believed they were following his prior instructions to maintain

16:18

a safe distance of at least 1500 feet

16:21

from the island shore. By

16:24

9.40pm the island of Gileo was visible

16:26

up ahead and the Concordia was moving

16:28

at a rate of 15 knots and

16:30

preparing to turn towards the island in

16:32

order to commence that sail by. Scatino

16:35

returned to the bridge where he intended to

16:37

take over the controls. However

16:40

when he got there he noticed immediately that

16:42

something was amiss. The ship

16:44

was way too close to the island

16:46

and they had suddenly found themselves in

16:48

dangerously shallow water. Scatino

16:50

ordered the officer at the helm to

16:53

correct the ship's course. However

16:55

there was yet another miscommunication about

16:57

the official heading numbers. Due to

16:59

the incorrect heading being entered into

17:01

the ship's navigation equipment, the ship's

17:03

turning radius became suddenly much wider,

17:05

bringing the entire vessel 659 metres

17:07

closer to the

17:10

shore than it should have been. Before

17:12

he had a chance to react an officer

17:14

on board alerted Scatino that the ship was

17:17

headed straight towards a large rock formation that

17:19

was protruding from the shallow water. The

17:22

sail by was going horribly wrong. The ship

17:24

had found its way into dangerously shallow and

17:26

rocky territory and by the time Scatino realised

17:29

just how much shit they were in it

17:31

was already too late to avoid the impending

17:34

disaster. Much

17:36

later an expert would testify in court that

17:38

at this stage of the sail by the

17:40

Concordia had gone far beyond the point of

17:42

safe return. No change

17:44

of course would have prevented the

17:47

oncoming disaster now. They were now

17:49

irreversibly screwed. Realising

17:51

the mistake a visibly panicked Captain Scatino

17:53

immediately ordered the Concordia to turn 20

17:56

degrees to the right to avoid the

17:58

rocks ahead. However as As Catino

18:00

was so focused on the rock formation on the

18:02

left hand side, he failed to check that the

18:04

water was all clear on the right side. Within

18:07

seconds of his order, at 9.44pm,

18:10

the ship's starboard side collided with

18:12

underwater coral. A deafening

18:14

sound echoed throughout the vessel, closely

18:17

followed by a sickening, terror-inducing crack

18:19

as the rocks tore a catastrophic

18:21

60 metre wide gash into

18:23

the hull of the ship. Several

18:27

watertight chambers below deck were breached and

18:29

became completely submerged in water within a

18:32

few seconds, including the chambers which contained

18:34

the ship's main engine and electrical control

18:36

panels. And then mayhem

18:38

swept across the entire ship when the

18:41

ship's power was abruptly lost, suddenly plunging

18:43

the ship into near darkness. At

18:46

around 9.50pm, the ship's emergency generators kicked

18:49

in and the backup lighting was restored.

18:52

An announcement was made to passengers via the

18:54

ship's tanoy system, assuring them that the ship

18:56

had experienced a simple power outage. They

18:58

then requested that the passengers remain calm

19:00

and await further instructions. The

19:03

confused and frightened passengers were unsure of what

19:05

just happened. They had all

19:07

heard and felt the impact, and they

19:09

knew full well that there was something

19:11

much more serious occurring than a simple

19:13

power cut. As much as

19:16

the passengers tried to stay calm and to not panic,

19:18

that became nearly impossible when several of them

19:20

noticed that the floor was beginning to feel

19:23

uneven. Soon, the horrifying

19:25

realisation set in. The

19:27

ship was beginning to list to one side, which

19:30

is something that can only happen if the ship

19:32

is taking on a lot of water. Ryan

19:34

Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. With the price

19:36

of just about everything going up during inflation,

19:39

we thought we'd bring our prices down. So

19:41

to help us, we brought in a reverse auctioneer, which

19:43

is apparently a thing. Mint Mobile unlimited premium wireless. Time

19:45

to get 30, 30, 30, get 30, get 30, get

19:48

20, 20, 20, get

19:50

20, 20, get get 20, 20, get 15, 15, 15, just 15 bucks a month sold. Give

19:55

it a try at mintmobile.com/switch.

19:58

$45 up front for three months plus taxes and fees. Promo

20:00

rate for new customers for limited time. Unlimited more than 40

20:02

gigabytes per month. Slows. Full terms at mintmobile.com. It's

20:05

the Kia Summer Sticker Sales Event, so give your

20:08

friends something to look at. Like a

20:10

B&B with an ocean view, an endless

20:12

field of wildflowers, or

20:14

a sunset that needs no filter. Make

20:17

this a summer to share and save

20:19

with a capable Kia SUV or powerful

20:21

sedan. See your local Kia dealer or

20:23

visit kia.com to learn more. Kia, movement

20:26

that inspires. Call 800-334-KIA for

20:28

details. Always drive safely. Sale applies to purchase of

20:30

specially tagged 2024 vehicles only. Parties

20:32

are limited. Must take delivery by 7, 8, 20, or the 31st. Meanwhile,

20:35

up on the bridge, the ship's crew

20:37

scrambled to address the damage. Moments

20:40

later, Scatino received information that three of

20:42

the seven below deck compartments had been

20:44

breached, and the ensuing floodwater had reached

20:47

the main electrical panel. He

20:49

was also informed that the engineers below deck were

20:51

unable to stop the floodwater from spreading to the

20:53

remaining chambers, which more or less meant that there

20:56

was no way to save the concordion now. Without

20:59

engine power or electricity, Captain

21:01

Scatino radioed a status report from

21:03

the now immobile Concordia to

21:05

the Carnival Corporation Crisis Center, telling

21:08

them only that the ship

21:10

was experiencing power issues. Carnival

21:13

in turn alerted the local port authorities.

21:16

Within minutes at 10.07 p.m., the

21:18

port harbor master at the nearby port

21:20

of Livorno contacted the Concordia and asked

21:22

if they needed assistance. However,

21:25

Scatino claimed that the ship was

21:27

just experiencing an electrical blackout and

21:29

that he had the situation under control. He

21:32

made no mention of the fact that the

21:34

vessel had struck the reef and was now

21:36

rapidly taking on water. Why

21:39

Scatino said this is anyone's guess.

21:42

This is the point in the story

21:44

where his woeful incompetence progressed to full-on

21:46

criminality. At this

21:48

point, Scatino knew full well that the ship's

21:50

hull was severely breached and that the below

21:52

deck compartments were taken on water at a

21:55

rapid pace, much faster than anyone had expected.

21:58

He knew that the ship was also beginning to list to

22:00

one side and was already far beyond saving.

22:03

The ship was going to sink and that

22:05

was that, as Captain's Catino was morally and

22:07

legally obliged to send out an SOS signal

22:09

and to port out the order to abandon

22:11

the ship immediately. But he didn't.

22:14

His ego simply wouldn't allow it. In

22:17

his mind he didn't want to come out

22:19

of this situation as the incompetent Captain who

22:21

was responsible for countless deaths. Instead

22:24

he wanted to be hailed as a hero

22:26

for saving everybody on board. The

22:28

way he saw it if the ship stayed mostly

22:30

above water, he might be

22:32

praised for his quick thinking instead

22:34

of being fired, dragged over the

22:36

coals and possibly even incarcerated for

22:38

such a monumental fuck up. In

22:42

fact, Catino was so slow to

22:44

make a helpful decision that local

22:46

Italian media began to report on

22:48

an unfolding sea disaster off the

22:50

coast of Gileo over an hour

22:52

before Catino made his first distress

22:55

signal. Their information was

22:57

coming from the terrified survivors on board

22:59

the Concordia who were using their phones

23:01

to call local police, their families and

23:03

the media. The

23:05

rate of the ship tipping to one side

23:07

was gradual to begin with. However, as the

23:10

crew fumbled and argued and struggled to make

23:12

a definitive decision, the situation suddenly worsened as

23:14

the ship started to list much faster than

23:16

before, indicating that the ship was taking on

23:19

so much water that they were now powerless

23:21

to contain it. It

23:23

should come as no surprise to anyone that

23:26

Scatino's absurd decision to remain silent didn't nobody

23:28

any favours at all. If anything

23:30

it made matters so much worse because had he done

23:32

the right thing and just called for help, it

23:35

is entirely possible that 100% of the passengers and

23:37

crew on board may have just survived

23:40

what happened next. Scatino

23:43

had no power or propulsion on the ship.

23:45

The propellers were no longer working as

23:48

the floodwater had fried the engine and

23:50

the electrical generators. The one

23:52

thing Scatino did have going for him was that

23:54

the ship's rudder still worked, which meant he could

23:56

still steer the ship to some degree. He

23:59

decided to try and direct the ship towards dry

24:01

land in the hope that the hull would touch

24:03

the bottom of the sea and the ship would

24:05

run aground. Meanwhile, some

24:07

of the concerned passengers were taking

24:09

the initiative to don lifejackets and congregate

24:12

at designated evacuation points, awaiting the abandoned

24:14

ship order, as they felt that

24:16

was now inevitable. By

24:19

10.25pm, the ship came to rest at the

24:21

Punta Gaboniara end of Gileo in approximately 20

24:24

metres of water. However, Scatino's

24:26

sense of relief was short-lived. Due

24:29

to the ship having already taken on enormous

24:32

amounts of water, the sheer uneven weight of

24:34

the hull caused the ship to pivot on

24:36

its axis and continue tipping over, only this

24:39

time at a much faster rate. Within

24:42

just minutes, the angle of the ship listed

24:44

from 20 degrees to just over 70. Survivors

24:47

described scenes of panic as the

24:49

ship shook, dishes crashed and

24:52

people fell over as the ship began to

24:54

topple, and would later go on to tell

24:56

the world of what they endured that night,

24:58

a prolonged night of panic and chaos. One

25:01

survivor opened up about the enduring trauma that

25:03

she incurred from the disaster, saying, It's a

25:05

feeling of panic that is what's carried through

25:07

over the ten years and it's just as

25:09

strong now. Another described the

25:11

moment the ship hit the rocks. The dinner

25:13

plates flew off the tables and the ship

25:15

tilted so much that we knew something was

25:18

terribly wrong. They went on to

25:20

recount the terrifying darkness that ensued when

25:22

the ship's power failed and then the

25:24

frantic scrambled to evacuate the ship. At

25:28

10.35pm, nearly 50 minutes after the Costa

25:30

Concordia struck the rocks, the order to

25:32

abandon ship was finally given and the

25:35

emergency alarm sounded. The ship

25:37

was now very obviously sinking and

25:39

chaos reigned among the 4,229 people

25:41

aboard. For

25:46

such a large and upscale cruise vessel,

25:48

the cruise execution of the order to

25:50

abandon ship was frankly embarrassing. Carrying

25:53

a dark resemblance of the events that unfolded on

25:55

the Titanic 100 years previously,

25:57

lifeboats were launched haphazardly. Some

26:00

were filled to capacity while others were

26:02

overcrowded. Families

26:04

were separated and passengers struggled to

26:06

navigate the dark, tilted corridors, trapping

26:09

some less fortunate people inside the

26:11

vessel with no way of escaping.

26:14

One can only imagine the sheer sense of

26:16

terror and anxiety they felt as they realized

26:18

that they were now trapped and that this

26:20

ship was gradually filling with water. With

26:23

no escape route, all they could do was wait

26:25

to drown. It really was the

26:27

stuff of nightmares. By

26:29

11 p.m. the ship was lying

26:31

completely on its side and was almost

26:33

fully submerged. As lifeboats

26:35

continued to launch, several high-ranking

26:38

bridge officers, including Captain Scatino,

26:40

the man responsible for the

26:42

entire catastrophe, abandoned their posts.

26:45

They then made their way down to the

26:47

deck where the lifeboats were being offloaded, jumped

26:50

to the queue of frantic passengers in life

26:52

jackets, climbed aboard a lifeboat of their own

26:54

and abandoned the ship, leaving more than a

26:56

thousand passengers still either trapped inside or waiting

26:59

to be rescued. Later

27:01

in the criminal trial of Captain Scatino,

27:04

he was asked why he abandoned ship whilst

27:06

over a thousand of his crew and guests

27:08

remained on board in great distress. His

27:11

explanation was so absurd and insulting that

27:13

you may have a hard time believing

27:15

he actually said this. He

27:18

explained to Flabbergasted Jorahs that he had

27:20

not meant to abandon ship. He

27:22

claimed instead that he had been aiding the

27:24

evacuation efforts on the lower decks when he

27:26

suddenly slipped, fell and landed in a lifeboat.

27:29

When asked why he didn't simply get up and

27:31

climb out of the lifeboat, he refused to comment

27:34

further. This claim

27:36

was met with outrage, not only from

27:38

the families of the victims, but also

27:40

from the survivors, many of whom had

27:43

seen with their own eyes Captain Scatino

27:45

willfully and deliberately climbing on board a

27:47

lifeboat and calmly leaving the scene, too

27:49

preoccupied with his own safety to care

27:52

about the carnage that he had single-handedly

27:54

caused. For those

27:56

left behind on the decks trying desperately to

27:58

escape the ship, it quickly became clear that

28:00

not all of them were going to survive. The

28:03

ship was now listing so severely that

28:05

it was essentially lying on its side

28:07

and this made the process of lowering

28:09

lifeboats into the water using the pulley

28:11

system practically impossible. The

28:13

situation was so dire that some passengers chose to

28:15

take matters into their own hands, physically

28:18

shoving crew members aside and lowering

28:20

the boats themselves rather than waiting

28:22

around to die. Others

28:24

literally jumped overboard and attempted to swim in

28:27

the black of night to the safety of

28:29

the dry land on Gileo. Some made it,

28:32

some didn't. The

28:35

Italian Coast Guard along with

28:37

other emergency services arrived promptly

28:39

and began rescuing passengers with

28:41

helicopters, boats and divers. The

28:44

conditions were challenging due to the severe list

28:46

and the darkness of the night. As

28:49

the water level reached deck four the

28:51

sinking accelerated. The severe list of starboard

28:54

side made it impossible to launch lifeboats

28:56

from the port side leaving about 80

28:58

people on board. These

29:00

passengers had to climb down the hurl at

29:03

using rope ladders to wait in Coast Guard

29:05

rescue boats. Meanwhile

29:07

Scatino who as captain should have been

29:09

amongst the last to leave the ship

29:11

had already reached the shore and was

29:13

by now sat in safety wrapped in

29:16

a blanket watching the carnage and subsequent

29:18

rescue operation. B bystanders later

29:20

testified that Scatino looked as if he didn't

29:22

have a care in the world as he

29:24

watched the unfolding catastrophe as if he were

29:26

sat at home watching a movie. At

29:29

one point an enraged Coast Guard worker

29:32

vocally branded Scatino a coward and

29:34

angrily demanded that he be a man, get

29:36

up and return to the ship to assist

29:38

the rescue efforts but Scatino

29:40

simply ignored him before eventually leaving

29:42

the scene without another word spoken.

29:45

He was not seen again that night. It

29:48

was later claimed that he made his

29:50

way to a local resident's house ate

29:52

dinner and went to bed for the

29:54

night. From the mainland it was the

29:56

courageous residents of Gileo Island that responded

29:58

swiftly and compassionately. Gileo

30:00

Mayor Sergio Ortelli put himself at the

30:03

front and centre, personally coordinating the rescue

30:05

effort, ensuring that stranded survivors who had

30:07

arrived on the shores of the island

30:09

were given shelter and comfort. The

30:12

islanders of Gileo worked through the night to

30:14

save as many lives as possible. By

30:17

6.17am as the sun rose,

30:19

the rescue operations concluded, revealing

30:21

the full extent of the

30:23

disaster. The

30:25

partially capsized ship, with a gaping hole

30:28

on its port side, stood as a

30:30

haunting reminder of the tragedy. Daylight

30:33

revealed that three port side lifeboats

30:35

were never launched, leaving many people

30:37

still aboard. All

30:39

told, the disaster had claimed the lives

30:41

of 32 people, including 27 passengers

30:44

and 5 crew members, most of

30:46

whom were trapped below deck as the

30:48

ship capsized. For

30:50

the concordia the victims were not limited to the

30:53

dead. The survivors were traumatised,

30:55

families were torn apart, dreams were

30:57

shattered and the lives forever changed.

31:01

Salvage operations on the sunken vessel

31:03

commenced immediately and Captain Francesco Scartino

31:05

was arrested and taken into custody.

31:08

He faced a series of severe

31:11

charges including multiple counts of manslaughter,

31:13

causing a maritime disaster and abandoning

31:15

ship before all passengers were safely

31:18

evacuated. The trial was held in

31:20

Grosetto in Italy and commenced in

31:23

July 2013 and lasted

31:25

for over 19 months. The

31:27

prosecution painted Scartino as reckless and negligent,

31:29

presenting what they described as a tsunami

31:32

of evidence proving his direct responsibility for

31:34

the disaster that had claimed 32 lives.

31:39

Scartino claimed that Carnival managers had instructed

31:41

him to perform a sail past salute

31:43

on the night of the disaster, something

31:46

which Carnival categorically denied. They

31:48

provided evidence that indicated that unlike

31:50

some previous approved daylight sailbys that

31:52

had occurred, the

31:55

2012 course was not a defined

31:57

computer programmed route for passing Gileo.

32:00

Scatino did, however, admit to turning

32:02

off the ship's computer navigation system

32:04

alarms before approaching the island, navigating

32:06

by sight due to his familiarity

32:08

with the seabed around Chilio. He

32:11

acknowledged a judgement error in turning the ship

32:13

too late upon seeing waves breaking on the

32:15

reef. Initially he claimed the ship was about

32:17

300 metres from shore and struck

32:20

an unchartered rock. The

32:22

first officer, Chiriran Brozio, revealed that

32:25

Scatino had left his reading glasses

32:27

in his cabin and repeatedly asked

32:30

Ambrosio to check the radar. It

32:33

was also revealed that on the bridge

32:35

that night was a woman named Domnica

32:38

Chemortan, a Moldovan dancer who later testified

32:40

to being in a romantic, extra marital

32:42

relationship with Scatino who had been invited

32:45

aboard by the captain as a non-paying

32:47

passenger. The media had

32:49

a field day with this. For now Scatino

32:51

wasn't just a coward, he was also a

32:53

love rat who had been cheating on his

32:55

wife. Prosecutors argued

32:58

that Scatino made critical errors in judgement

33:00

such as navigating the ship too close

33:02

to the shore of Jilio Island in

33:04

order to perform a sail by salute

33:06

which was an attempt to impress passengers,

33:08

the island's residents and Domnica

33:11

Chemortan. The manoeuvre they

33:13

claimed directly led to the ship striking a

33:15

reef, tearing a 60 metre gash in its

33:17

hull. The prosecution also

33:20

emphasised his delayed order to abandon

33:22

ship which they claimed caused unnecessary

33:24

chaos and confusion during the evacuation.

33:27

Additionally they highlighted his abandonment of the

33:29

ship which earned him the nickname Captain

33:31

Coward in the media. Scatino's

33:34

defence team contended that he had actually

33:36

saved lives by steering the ship closer

33:38

to shore after the collision which they

33:40

argued made the evacuation safer than it

33:42

would have been further out at sea.

33:44

They claimed that

33:46

Scatino was made a scapegoat for a

33:48

systemic failure and pointed out that other

33:50

crew members and the ship's operators also

33:53

bore responsibility and Scatino

33:55

himself maintained his absurd and embarrassing claim

33:57

that he tripped and fell into a

33:59

life. boat. In

34:02

February 2015, Scatino was found guilty and

34:04

sentenced to 16 years in prison. This

34:07

sentence comprised 10 years for multiple counts

34:09

of manslaughter, 5 years

34:11

for causing the shipwreck and 1 year for

34:13

abandoning the ship. Despite the

34:15

verdict, the judge allowed Scatino to remain

34:18

free during the appeals process, which in

34:20

Italy can take several years to complete.

34:23

The trial and its outcome were widely

34:25

covered by international media, with many commentators

34:28

and victims' families expressing dissatisfaction with the

34:30

length of the sentence, feeling it to

34:32

be too lenient given the scale of

34:34

the disaster. Scatino's

34:37

emotional final plea, where he claimed

34:39

he was being unfairly scapegoated, did

34:41

very little to sway public opinion,

34:43

which remained largely critical of his

34:45

actions before, during and after the

34:48

tragedy. In

34:50

the aftermath of the Costa Concordia

34:52

disaster, compensation for victims and survivors

34:55

varied significantly. Costa Cruises

34:57

initially offered uninjured passengers a lump

34:59

sum compensation payment of 11,000 euros,

35:01

which included reimbursement for the cruise

35:04

fare and additional costs such as

35:06

travel expenses and medical evacuations, and

35:08

this offer was extended to encourage

35:11

quick settlements and to avoid prolonged

35:13

litigation. Families

35:15

of the deceased received more substantial

35:17

payouts. For example, the

35:20

family of the youngest victim, five-year-old

35:22

Diana Arlotti, received a seven-figure settlement

35:24

from Costa Cruises, although the exact

35:26

amount was kept confidential. Passengers

35:29

who sought additional compensations through litigation

35:32

faced a complex legal landscape. Many

35:34

chose to sue Costa's parent company,

35:36

Carnival Corporation, but faced challenges in

35:39

US courts, which dismissed these suits,

35:41

recommending they be pursued in Italian

35:44

courts instead. Some lawsuits

35:46

were successful in Italy, such as

35:48

the case of Ernesto Carusotti, who

35:50

was awarded $87,000 in damages. In

35:54

addition to monetary compensation, Costa Cruises

35:56

offered all survivors access to Psychological

35:59

Assistance Pro- to help address a

36:01

trauma resulting from the disaster. Despite

36:04

these efforts, the disaster's financial and

36:06

emotional impacts continue to resonate with

36:08

many survivors and their families. The

36:12

sinking of the Costa Concordia sent

36:14

shockwaves through the cruise industry, claiming

36:16

lives and prompting significant introspection and

36:18

change. Carnival Corporation

36:20

face substantial financial repercussions with

36:22

their 2012 annual

36:24

report indicating a

36:26

$410 million loss in revenue directly

36:29

attributed to the disaster. The

36:32

disaster also negatively affected the company's

36:34

stock price. Faced with a

36:36

financial and public relations crisis, the company

36:39

replaced their CEO and focused on regaining

36:41

their reputation for safety. They

36:43

launched public relations campaigns emphasizing

36:45

their commitment to safety, accountability

36:47

and customer care. Costa

36:50

Cruise has invested in new ships with

36:52

enhanced safety features, signaling confidence in the

36:54

future and a commitment to passenger safety.

36:58

The cruise industry as a whole began

37:00

implementing new safety protocols and measures, including

37:03

more rigorous safety drills,

37:05

stricter navigation regulations and

37:07

improved emergency response procedures.

37:10

These changes indicated a serious commitment

37:12

to learning from the Costa Concordia

37:14

disaster and ensuring passenger and cruise

37:16

safety was a fundamental principle. The

37:20

disaster underscored the role of

37:22

human error in maritime incidents,

37:24

despite technological safety advancements and

37:26

sophisticated safety protocols. Captain

37:29

Scatino's decisions, bridge miscommunications and

37:31

delayed evacuation were all human

37:33

errors that amplified the disaster

37:35

scale. The industry was

37:37

reminded that safety relies not just on

37:40

technology and regulations, but

37:42

also on effective leadership, decision-making

37:44

and communication. The

37:47

Costa Concordia story is one of human ambition,

37:49

error and resilience. It

37:52

began with the launch of a magnificent ship and

37:54

ended in a tragedy that shook the world. The

37:57

disaster revealed both the best and worst

37:59

of humanity. humanity, from the

38:01

bravery of rescuers and the compassion

38:03

of julio islanders to the failures

38:05

in leadership and communication. The

38:08

lessons learned are profound, emphasising the

38:10

importance of safety, the fallibility of

38:12

human judgement and the high cost

38:14

of complacency. Reflecting on

38:16

the tragedy and its legacy, we remember

38:18

the 32 lives lost and the many

38:21

others affected. Their stories

38:23

are a stark reminder of the human

38:25

cost of this disaster, guiding future actions

38:27

and decisions. Although

38:29

the cost of concordia now resides on a

38:31

scrapyard instead of on the ocean, its

38:34

story continues to resonate as a testament to

38:36

the power of the sea and

38:38

the fragility of human life. Thank

38:42

you very much for listening, we will be back

38:44

next week, the two of us, for another episode

38:46

so we will see you then.