Captain Arrested After Italian Cruise Ship Runs Aground, 70 Passengers Missing
The Costa Concordia cruise ship, owned by Genoa-based Costa Cruises, ran aground when it hit a submerged rock near the island of
Giglio yesterday. The captain, Francesco Schettino, has already been arrested on charges of manslaughter and abandoning ship, charges he and his crew deny. The captain said the rock was not on the maps, but the ship was about 2.5 miles off course. The ship hit a rock, which tore a 160 foot long hole in the hull. The ship's power went out, it tipped to the side and began to fill with water. More than 4,200 were aboard. Up to 70 people are still missing and three are confirmed dead. Reports say passengers had not yet received the safety briefing and did not know what to do when the lights went out. It was dark and the water was freezing -- many people fell or jumped into the water. Some passengers said it was just like the movie Titanic. Italian authorities say the ship failed to call the Coast Guard and issued no mayday, which delayed rescue attempts.
Cruise ship staff member Rosalyn Rincon describes what happened that night. Take a look:
