Abandoned Ship

“While the Costa Concordia cruise ship started to sink… while men, women, and children panicked… while lifeboats were lowered and people prayed for rescue… Captain Francesco Schettino sat in a lifeboat and watched. An audio recording has surfaced of the Coast Guard yelling at Schettino to get back on board and oversee the evacuation.” – Inquisitr

He stood in a small boat with his hands on his hips and watched as people scrambled over the hull of the ship. His pants were wet. His had had fallen in the water. He was having a bad day.

There were two other men in the boat. They sat with their hands on their knees on their eyes on the water, watching in terror as the Costa Concordia slowly leaned over on its side.

A muffled voice sounded: “Captain, this is the coast guard.”

Captain: Good evening, chief.

Coast Guard: Listen, this is De Falco from Livorno. Am I speaking with the captain?

The little boat buoyed in the light of the big ship. He could hear the distant sound of screaming and watched as people jumped into the water.

Captain: Good evening, Chief De Falco. This is Captain Schettino.

Coast Guard: What’s the situation there?

Captain: I can see several people on the side of the ship. Maybe 75, 100. It looks like they’re trying to lower down a ladder.

Coast Guard: Looks like?

Schettino started speaking but he was cut off mid-sentence by a powerful voice that said: Captain! Put your hand over the microphone and speak up!

Captain: I am no longer on the ship.

There was a long silence. The captain stood with the speaker up to his lips and waited for a response. He started to open his mouth to speak when the voice on the other end came back to life.

The voice was calm at first. “Captain, take your life boat back to the ship. There is a ladder on the starboard side that you should be able to access.”

But slowly the anger started to rise. “Tell me how many people are on board. See how many children. How many women.”

The next words came in a low deep growl from a man who always kept his word. “Listen Schettino, perhaps you have saved yourself from the sea but I will make you look very bad. I will make you pay for this. Dammit, go back on board!”

There was a woman in the water waiving her hands in the air. “Help,” she screamed.”

One of the men noticed her and stood up. “There,” he said. “There’s a woman. Do you see her?”

Schettino put his hand over the mic. “Is there room?” he asked.