Francesco Schettino, captain of the doomed Costa Concordia that partially sunk on Friday, said he did not abandon ship, according to a transcript published by Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper and reported by the Associated Press.
“I did not abandon a ship with 100 people on board … the ship suddenly listed and we were thrown into the water,” Schettino reportedly said during a recorded telephone conversation with Capt. Gregorio De Falco of the Italian coast guard in Livorno.
The transcript also showed the coast guard official urgently commanding the captain to return to the cruise ship after he had abandoned it.
“You go on board! Is that clear? Do you hear me?” the Coast Guard officer shouted as Schettino sat safe in a life raft and frantic passengers struggled to escape the listing ship. “It is an order. Don’t make any more excuses. You have declared ‘Abandon ship.’ Now I am in charge.”
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What is this bs about the captain going down with his ship.
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