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Video And Post-Mortem of Spectacular Carnival Cruise Liner Accident Off Tuscan Coast

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 01/15/2012 12:59 -0400

To those who woke up on Saturday to images of a massive cruise liner keeled over following a very peculiar Friday night accident off the coast of Italy, no, this was not a prop for the latest James Cameron movie: it is the Carnival Corp's Costa Concordia, which carried over 4,200 passengers and crew, and foundered after hit a submerged rock off the Tuscan island of Giglio in very calm conditions. At last count 11 passengers and 6 crewmembers were missing, with at least 6 confirmed dead as of last night.

Here is a summary of what is known as of now, via the BBC:

Costa Cruises, which operated the boat, is a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation.
The boat's captain has been arrested and charged with homicide
Italy's Generali (of Zero Hedge Trade Marked A&G fame) is among the group of insurers of the Costa. It has since said the "Net Impact would be very marginal" - how about the gross impact?
Costa Cruises president Gianni Onorato said a normal evacuation had been almost impossible because the ship had listed so quickly
The captain, Francesco Schettino, 52, had worked for Costa Cruises for 11 years, who has now been arrested, insisted he had been last to leave the ship, and said the rock was not marked on his nautical chart
The chief prosecutor in the city of Grosseto told reporters that Capt Schettino "very ineptly got close to Giglio", according to Italy's Ansa news agency
Italian, German, French and British nationals were among the 3,200 passengers on board. There were also 1,000 crew.
Some passengers told the Associated Press news agency that the crew had failed to give instructions on how to evacuate the ship.

Video, courtesy of RT:

Reuters explains why this event will likely have a major impact on the Cruise line industry:

The spectacular cruise liner accident off the coast of Italy is not just a disaster for the ship's owners, but could inflict wider damage on an industry already facing stiff headwinds.

"This is a PR (public relations) nightmare for the Costa brand," said Jaime Katz, equity analyst from investment research company Morningstar in Chicago.

"The question is, when that's been stripped out, whether the Carnival brand will be tarnished."

The accident could hardly have come at a worse time for the group, with the global economic crisis already making potential cruise customers nervous about their jobs and finances.

"I think the important factors are that this adds insult to injury, with struggling economic markets in Europe and all the unrest you've seen in the Middle East," Katz said, noting that the accident came at the peak season for the industry.

"Carnival still books a large portion of their bookings at this time of year. What company, in the middle of the busiest season for their business, wants to be weighed down with that sort of PR?" she asked.

Costa Crociere has been fully owned by Carnival since 2000 when the Miami-based company bought the half it didn't already own. At that time Carnival, which makes about 40 percent of its revenues in Europe, said Costa Crociere would be its primary platform for expanding in this part of the world.

In December Carnival, which accounts for about half of the global cruise line business, lowered its prices for 2012 voyages because of weaker demand in crisis-hit Europe.

Sharon Zackfia, a research analyst with William Blair & Co., a global investment services company, said it was too early to know the full costs for Carnival but they would include passenger refunds, potential litigation and repairs.

There is also the problem of consumer attitudes souring on the industry as a whole because of safety concerns - a mindset that, along with consumer fears over the sluggish U.S. economy and the EU debt crisis, could freeze some people's plans for overseas travel.

"Any time you have something like this happen, there is worry that it will have an impact on how the public views the safety of the industry in general," she said, adding, however, that the industry in general had a good safety track record.

Another potential problem for the shipowner and insurers is environmental damage.

Local officials have expressed concern that the ship's fuel, a full load as it had just begun the cruise, could spill into the pristine waters of the island, which is in a marine reserve. However by early Sunday there was no sign of pollution.

Italian reports said salvage operations were being held back until all passengers were accounted for.

Carnival stock short interest via BBG:

Below is the Carnival Corporation statement on the Costa Concordia

On January 13, 2012, Costa Cruises' vessel, the Costa Concordia, departed from Civitavecchia, Italy with approximately 3,200 passengers and 1,000 crew members on a seven-day voyage. At approximately 10:00pm CET, the vessel struck rock off the coast of Isola del Giglio, Italy and sustained significant damage causing the ship to list severely. The order was given to abandon ship and deploy the lifeboats.

Tragically, there are reports of some deaths and injuries. This is a terrible tragedy and we are deeply saddened. Carnival Corporation & plc offers our sympathies and heartfelt condolences to all of the Costa Concordia guests, crew members and their families. Carnival Corporation & plc and Costa Cruises are committing our full resources to provide assistance and ensure that all guests and crew are looked after.

We want to express our deep gratitude to the Italian Coast Guard and local authorities and community members who have gone to extraordinary lengths to assist in the evacuation of the ship and provide support for our guests and crew.

We are working to fully understand the cause of what occurred. The safety of our guests and crew members remains the number one priority of Carnival Corporation & plc and all of our cruise lines.

Costa Concordia was sailing on a Mediterranean cruise from Civitavecchia (Rome) with scheduled calls at Savona, Italy; Marseille, France; Barcelona, Spain; Palma de Mallorca; Cagliari and Palermo, Italy.

Friends and family members may use the following country-specific contact numbers to reach Costa Cruises:

Italy    848505050
U.S.     800-462-6782
Austria 00438109006565
Germany +4940570121314
France   +33155475554
Spain    +34934875685
Portugal +34914185951
UK       08453510552

Carnival Corporation & plc is the parent company of ten cruise lines including Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Seabourn, AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Ibero Cruises, P&O Cruises (UK) and P&O Cruises (Australia).

- advertisements -

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:02 | 2066313 francis_sawyer

McHales Navy

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:11 | 2066347 J.B. Books

LOL you know - 50% the zh's have no idea why that's funny!

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:15 | 2066358 The trend is yo...

i'm one of the 50%er's. Please enlighten me.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:22 | 2066375 CrockettAlmanac.com

There's got to be a morning after....

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:24 | 2066379 francis_sawyer

Oddly Enough... Ernest Borgnine starred in both "McHales Navy" & "The Poseidon Adventure"...

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:29 | 2066391 WmMcK

Hey, at least he could sink a truck on land. (intended for the 1% who will get the reference).

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:38 | 2066420 Long-John-Silver

LOL! Sadly, I am in that 1% of which you speak remembering that movie and it's pink submarine.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:44 | 2066440 WmMcK

Too soon old and too late smart. (I speak only of myself, of course)

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 15:26 | 2066701 besnook

aw, you gave it away. that movie may have been why i married a nurse.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 16:45 | 2066871 Bananamerican

Cruise ships are like floating jails.

What kind of masochistic prole subjects himself to these punts from hell?

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 16:48 | 2066879 YBNguy

And those Proles pay well for their cubby-hole room.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 17:54 | 2067025 Think for yourself

A prole that wants to feel like he's part of the Party, that's what.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 18:59 | 2067122 gravedestruction

Pretty crazy scenario.

Wonder what they're going to do that huge "hull rock".

Below are some links to detailed hi-rez images of this event.

Enjoy ZH-ez!

http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/4d6fb4946b114401040f6a7067...

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 21:35 | 2067535 gravedestruction

So who manufactured the power plant on this ship?

Wartsila?

Mann?

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 01:26 | 2067989 MsCreant

Stunning pics ducky, bravo!

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 02:01 | 2068020 mophead

SABATOGE-flation. Bitchez! Now your cruise tickets will go up because the supply of ships/tours will go down, liability insurance will go up, new passenger saftey regulations, etc, etc...

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 12:27 | 2068697 Think for yourself

Wow, so close to the coast! The captain was either insane, or unconscious.

The spirit of the times, I reckon, both in the cause of the crash, and in it's nature:

Vacuous entertainment is going down!

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 13:35 | 2068899 Cadavre

Liveleak (a most suiting name) has some underwater vids here.

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 07:58 | 2068260 ToNYC

Call any Vegetable, Call any Vegetable, and the chances are good (if you buy a fat ticket); that the Vegetable will respond to you.

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 09:08 | 2068349 TheFourthStooge-ing

Call any vegetable, call it by name.

rutabay-ay-ay-ga

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 16:02 | 2069280 Turpentine Soul

Suzie creamcheese? What's got into ya?

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 02:14 | 2068030 Demologos

Sorry L-J, you being a sailor and all, but the movie was Operation Petticoat. Cary Grant was the sub captain and at one point they used a brassiere to keep the engine running. There was a pink submarine though. They only had red primer and white paint so it turned out pink.

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 10:13 | 2068441 msamour

Aren't you suppose to let the red lead primer dry before applying the base coat? At least that's how we painted the navy ships in my younger days...

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:39 | 2066423 trav7777

obviously a Mossad/CIA false flag. Cruise ships just don't hit rocks and sink

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:54 | 2066472 YHC-FTSE

Would have been if it had sunk in the Strait of Hormuz instead of the Med. ;)

If the captain is telling the truth about being at least 300m away from any marked marine obstacles when he collected a huge rock in his port side, my money is on the navigator, aka Snr.GPS. We trust those gadgets far too much these days. Some passengers are supporting the captain for running the ship aground near to shore after being holed as it undoubtedly saved lives - whether that was deliberate or not remains to be seen.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 14:04 | 2066505 RafterManFMJ

Cap'n says turn off all cell phones while aboard the liner, but I'm going to make just one call...

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 15:22 | 2066689 Troll Magnet

MY GOLD!!!
ALL OF MY GOLD WAS ON THAT BOAT!!!

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 15:44 | 2066729 nasa

My guns and ammo were on that boat as well.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 16:52 | 2066894 YBNguy

Im surprised cash stapped locals arnt boating out to the the accident to loot themselves silly.... Or did the mafia get dibbs on this one?

Tue, 01/17/2012 - 06:06 | 2070421 zhandax

Cruise ships just don't hit rocks and sink

They do in a country where the captain is the first one to abandon ship.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 14:45 | 2066603 Stuck on Zero

Would you run a ship at ten knots 300m from a rocky coast? Only a fool would do that.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 15:16 | 2066674 falun bong

^{A ship that size, with it's manoeuverability? Not. Captain's fault, too many grappas.}

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 21:51 | 2067567 gravedestruction

Reminds me of this story from last year:

HELSINKI (Reuters) - A Finnish ferry has runs aground while its captain was stuck in the bathroom.

(Captain probably had the runs after eating in the ship's galley - Helstinky)

http://forum.darwincentral.org/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=48001

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 00:52 | 2067942 CompassionateFascist

Actually, he was aiming for the Straits of Hormuz, but missed.

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 08:10 | 2068270 ToNYC

Captain found the Edge indeed; but while it was Fast and not Often. nevertheless it was not Cheap. Epic Fail mini Titanic delivered by reliance on new age derivatives of what should be aboard, the old school tools and love in the museum, not money.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:57 | 2066481 Flakmeister

The captain wanted a symbolic recreation of the Euro Soveriegn debt crisis..... or he was protesting the proposed cut in his brother-in-law's Italian state pension....

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 14:22 | 2066555 Max Fischer

Don't be ridiculous. I'm sure the weather started getting rough and the tiny ship was tossed. In fact, if it wasn't for the fearless crew, the minnow would have been lost.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 14:26 | 2066565 chumbawamba

What's worse: landing on an unchartered desert isle, or Italy?

-Chumblez.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 14:43 | 2066597 DoChenRollingBearing

Depends on how good your Italian is and how much money you have. Also depends on whether Mary Anne is along...

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 15:27 | 2066702 ebear

Mary Anne.... mmmmmm!!!!

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 15:59 | 2066754 ihedgemyhedges

You must be a fan of the elderly females as Mary Ann is probably 70 now...............

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 16:36 | 2066845 chumbawamba

Properly lubricated, the hand doesn't notice the difference.

I am Chumbawamba.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 21:15 | 2067052 Randall Cabot

Mary Anne could sure move those hips, looks like pre-electric slide.:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8rCy173y7Y&feature=related

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 23:00 | 2067750 goldfish1

I remember the original.

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 08:43 | 2068316 Dick Gazinia

Mrs Howle.....mmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 00:57 | 2067950 TheFourthStooge-ing

Max Fischer said:

Don't be ridiculous. I'm sure the weather started getting rough and the tiny ship was tossed. In fact, if it wasn't for the fearless crew, the minnow would have been lost.

It's just like what happened in that one Led Zeppelin song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX_lCQL9o7s

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:58 | 2066486 Oh regional Indian

Actually, if you see th epictures, it looks highly suspicious. And the passangers say they heard a huge bang. Ship's don't hit sand bars with a bang. And that hole in it's side....it was drifting that hard? So side swipe only one section like that?

The whole thing stinks. Was it a practice event of some sort? Investigators can find no cause.

Adn Costa Concordia ran aground near Italy.

Concord sank. it's all very telling. In a not good way. And so emblematic of the Aircraft Carrier/white elephant analogy.

Parrot press though. The establishment line will be made the dominant line.

ori

/meet-the-press/

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 14:02 | 2066497 RafterManFMJ

obviously a Mossad/CIA false flag. Cruise ships just don't hit rocks and sink

Wait, did it roll over or collapse in its own footprint?

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 17:12 | 2066943 General Decline

Maybe it was full of asbestos ?

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 17:22 | 2066964 General Decline

Does Larry Silversien own carnival? That poor guy has such bad luck.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 14:22 | 2066554 Manthong

Hmm.. You could probably fit a half dozen lanes of a bowling alley inside the bridge of that thing.

There had to be at least a handful of professionals at the bridge in front of enough navigation gear to steer a semi through a rainstorm without getting hit by a raindrop.

I heard they were four miles off course.. how the heck does THAT happen?

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 14:50 | 2066617 Banksters

Stick another tampon up your ass, trav. I think you're bleeding.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 19:26 | 2067169 Dugald

Captain says rock jumped out in front of him.....!! says rock was not there last trip.....!

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 16:40 | 2066858 EINSILVERGUY

Operation Petticoat

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:38 | 2066418 CrockettAlmanac.com

Excellent francis.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 15:02 | 2066644 Unprepared

Cruise liner meet rock.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 18:42 | 2067097 hannah

i think the captain was doing what Ernest Borgnine claims to 'keep him young'...hint'fap fap fap

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:36 | 2066412 Long-John-Silver

A sitcom featuring an inept PT Boat crew during WWII. Think of the sitcom Gilligan's Island on a boat.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilligan%27s_Island

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 14:46 | 2066600 ebworthen

The trend is yo...

Ahoy!

http://www.hulu.com/mchales-navy

Tim Conway of Carol Burnett fame.

Keystone Cops but in the Navy on a boat (and some of them are adept sailors).

A more modern reference would be Homer Simpson as Captain of the boat.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 19:11 | 2067141 gravedestruction

How about Baracle Bill?

Arrr! Ye call that a rock?

Aharr Harr Harr Harr Harr Harr Harrrrrrr!

http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/310077e86b344401040f6a7067...

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 19:31 | 2067184 gravedestruction

Wait a minute - that looks like an igneous rock !

http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/b27d062e6ab64201040f6a7067...

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 22:09 | 2067623 ebworthen

DOH!

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 00:07 | 2067878 Hephasteus

Looks granite and sandstone composite to me. The sandstone part looks like its seen a massive pressure packing at some point.

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 09:18 | 2068362 TheFourthStooge-ing

A gneiss rock wouldn't engage in such hooliganism.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 14:59 | 2066633 Gringo Viejo

Does one receive rental preference in NYC for being a "survivor" of the Costa Concordia?

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 18:43 | 2067099 hannah

peeing in the show didnt help.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:40 | 2066411 cranky-old-geezer

McHales Navy

Passengers reported total confusion and contradictory orders among ship's crew, commenting how passengers eventually ignored ship's crew and cooperated with each other in getting off the ship. Many simply swam to shore.

And that's some really shallow water there. Can't imagine why they were hugging the coastline that close.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 14:03 | 2066503 chumbawamba

A perect analogy for when the global economy finally meets the inevitable rock and then lists and sinks. The sheeple will sit patiently waiting for salvation from government, while those with intelligence will have long since simply taken personal initiative and swam to the shore.

I am Chumbawamba.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 14:45 | 2066604 DoChenRollingBearing

Good to see you back. I hope all is well for you.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 15:06 | 2066654 Canaduh

I hope you don't think he is chumbawumba

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 15:43 | 2066727 DoChenRollingBearing

No, I think we have the real guy here. -umba is proof of flattery by imitation.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 15:49 | 2066736 Kayman

cranky-old-geezer

"passengers eventually ignored ship's crew and cooperated with each other in getting off the ship"

Is this an Italian cruise ship or the American economy ?

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 15:38 | 2066720 TeMpTeK

"A Three hour tour,... a three hour tour"....................

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 15:50 | 2066737 akak

I wonder how many passengers took along suitcases of cash and their entire wardrobes with them on the ship.

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 09:30 | 2068388 TheFourthStooge-ing

The captain wasn't paying attention to where he was going because he was listening to "Stairway to Gilligan's Island" on a set of headphones that a passenger made out of a coconut and piece of string.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:05 | 2066325 arkel

Was it the intent of captain Francesco Schettino to sink the ship? Why was he arrested?

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:23 | 2066363 Azannoth

The modern legal system is something out of the "Wizzard of Oz" tale, better not try to understand it, than again so are the political, economical and social systems, the best thing any1 can do it to stay waaaaay clear of it regardless which side your on

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 15:53 | 2066743 Kayman

The Law, once founded in Justice, is now "the legal system", whose sole purpose is to legalize criminality, and create full employment for lawyers.

If lawyers and judges knew the Law, there wouldn't be Appeal Courts.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 19:19 | 2067153 gravedestruction

"the legal system" with no room for "the rule of law" and the unfortunate resulting "lawlessness"

Well stated "K".

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 21:42 | 2067554 Vlad Tepid

It was actually manslaughter he was arrested for, not homicide, so the intent need not be present.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 14:47 | 2066606 Stuck on Zero

I believe they were just about to announce that the ship was going to be renamed to: "The Euro."

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 14:51 | 2066620 Richard Chesler

He was arrested because he's not a banker.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 15:16 | 2066671 ebworthen

arkel,

Maritime law (Admiralty law) can be harsher than the landlubber variety, especially when it comes to responsibilities of Captain and Crew.

Parts of it date back a long time, an example being "Corpus Juris Civilis" 529-534 AD by order of Justinian I - Eastern Roman Emperor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Admiralty_law

The Captain will likely be charged with negligence for not ensuring the safety of passengers and crew, or negligent homicide.

Similar incident in sinking of Greek cruise ship when trying to dock at Greek island of Santorini in 2007:

http://cruises.about.com/b/2007/04/07/sea-diamond-cruise-ship-evacuated-...

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:06 | 2066327 Spastica Rex

Iranian submarines?

JUST KIDDING!

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 17:37 | 2066994 General Decline

BOMB IRAN!!!

Just kidding.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 21:40 | 2067546 gravedestruction

Bob Dobbs did it!

Are you kidding me?

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 09:35 | 2068397 TheFourthStooge-ing

Osama bin Laden grew gills after being buried at sea and formed a new terrrrrrist group, Coral Qaida. This incident has their finprints all over it.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 23:12 | 2067778 Cadavre

Would not be too surprised should that had been the intended "story"t all along. It may have been a mistimed or misaligned false flag sabotage, but a pesky sand bar got in the way. It's been done before, and neglected to kill all the witnesses or left incriminating evidence behind. There are other suspect actions our little War Usury loss leader nation-state. It makes a pretty damn good living off it's overly generous and seemingly self inflicted bouts of victimization. Even when this nation state attacks it's only allies. Our little loss leader for the War Usury has a long list of institutional, as well as individual complaints filed against it for crimes and general disregard for international law.

Recalling the near crash of Obambi's campaign plane a few years back. That plane was maintained by our War Usury little loss leader's maintenance companies.

Note the lame stream did not once say the name of the company that owns the capsized liner. It is "Carnival Cruise Lines". Figured it out (maybe): Carnival Cruise Lines is by the Arison Family, Ships flagged or owned by the War Usury's favorite little loss leader always seems to experience some event when the little loss leader feels it's loosing it's [false] sense of control.

If it was indeed sabotage, it is because all other form of intimidation have failed, and was a last ditch effort by our moment's most famous little false flagger to rouse, through fabrication, another coalition of the un-willing to help it out. Chief of Staff, Gen Dempsey is going over there to tell the War Loss Leader not to provoke Iran. DoD civilian boss, Panetta says Iran is not building a bomb. Joint War Games with the US have been put off 6 months.

And today the expected unexpectedly happened [again]. The little Loss Leader was making noise and puffing up it's chest and Iran dared them to attack.

I don't blame Israelis anymore than I blame Americans for their laziness and apathy. It happens. A war with Iran would wake us all up right quick to the shenanigans gamed by the War Usury Houses on Wall Street and the K-Street Kiddie Fondlers we employ in DC. Israeli hopes, as American hopes and aspirations, are 180 degrees off the proclamations sharted the lame stream and the alleged oath takers we, and Israelis, employ to manage our respective commons. I do know this: Should Israel or the US make one wrong move against the territory of Iran - Israel will be an ashtray in less than thirty minutes and every high dollar US asset floating in Persian Gulf will pay a visit to Davy Jones. Iran is ready - we know it and Israeli intelligence knows it.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 23:51 | 2067853 gravedestruction

+1 (OB-wahabi-wan)

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 08:10 | 2068276 luigi

Ita was just plain stupidity: it was not the first time the Costa Concordia was passing very close by Giglio island in fact it was a sort of tradition, to greet the Island and to allow the guest onboard to enjoy the show of the thiny island's lights... but never THAT close.

It always was outside of company's authorized procedures, it seems. This time it went very bad: definitely way too close. this is the point were the ship first hit on the left side http://iltirreno.gelocal.it/foto-e-video/la-secca-della-scola-1.3069200 You can see the ship in the distance: it tried to turn toward the little harbour (which lies in the middle, but you can't see it) and opened also the right side like a can... The captain abandoned ship among the first leaving the crew alone (something typical in our history, one could say), while citizens of Giglio Porto climbed in the ship to help out instead... The captain was contacted three times by the port authority and urged to take his post back (he was "hidden" in a private home of Giglio and the officers weren't able to find him... he eventually got the deserved arrest).

As always, tragedies have their fair rate of ridicolous. Costa Concordia never launched an SOS (or how it is called). It was the port authority contacting more times the ship because some passenger called home sayng they were having troubles: tha family of the passenger called local Carabinieri who alerted the coast guard (Capitaneria di Porto): The captain negated twice having major troubles, he stated just having a black out and they were solving the problem. The Coast Guard asking are you sure? We get phone calls of people saying they are wearing swim wests... yes, yes, no problem... In the meanwhile the first little motorboat of the Guardia di Finanza (Guardia di Finanza also has patrol boats) from Giglio Porto was approaching the already heavy tilting cruiser and received the request if they could tow the cruiser in the harbour! (the Guardia di Finanza officer told, it was like to ask an ant to move an elephant...)...

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 13:04 | 2068806 Cadavre

There ashould be all sorts of onboard controls to prevent what happened..

Wondering if the Concordia had directional "thrust" steering(?). It seems there would be all sorts of difficult to override navigation locks and early warning sonar systems.

Used to be a rash of car thefts and AOG car burnings during distressed economic cycles when Mr/Mrs America couldn't afford that payment on the 3rd Mercedes SUV mama used to drive the kiddies to soccer practice. Now I ain't saying, but Carnival (CCL) didn't get its usual "dead of winter hump up" this year,

And, lest we forget, there was Katrina and FEMA's overpayment to Carnival. Carnival was supposed to provide temporary shelter for Katrina refugees, but instead provided luxury accommodation to big wigs visiting ravaged New Orleans for photo ops (them Katrina refugees just smelled to darn bad to allow on board).

Carnival's history is full of bloopers.

Most likely the queues are already full for the least riskiest deep OTM CCL shorts. There is Disney and Norwegian and Dubai Port Mangmt Cos and a host of services. Mom and Pop will be lucky to have a bike to ride to market - this calamity and the economy will push CCL even deeper.

THE CAPTIAN'S TRIAL NEWS, if he makes it that far, WILL BE INTERESTING (his attorneys better get a data image from the ships NAV `fore it gets mopped by the "cleaners"!

It seems so darned convenient - the EZ is crashing and now an EZ liner, belonging to a "short" cruise line operation crashes.

CCL close 34.28$ / 32.00$ close puts (Jan 13 2012):
Jan .05$ @ 40.09%
Feb .60$ @ 37.81%
Apr 1.50$@ 34.65%

Lucy gonna have a lot fun splaining this one. An act of terror would have guaranteed a good payoff.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:06 | 2066328 holdbuysell

Adsense is working for ZH. I'm seeing both right hand side advertisements for cruises...CCL and Expedia to be specific.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:21 | 2066372 ViewfromUnderth...

CCL "Wake up to something new" on mine, I shit you not.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:50 | 2066460 DoChenRollingBearing

Expedia ad with a cruise ship picture here.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:56 | 2066476 Irish66

Dang, I got adults with ADHD

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 14:06 | 2066513 DoChenRollingBearing

New one, Windstar Cruises, with a sailing ship.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 14:24 | 2066560 chumbawamba

I see ads for adult diapers, something having to do with a "wet accident". Or maybe it's that geriatric porn I was surfing last night?

-Chumblez.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 14:48 | 2066609 DoChenRollingBearing

That's why I had to give up drinking beer before bedtime. My wife would not liked me starting on the Depends at such a tender age of 55...

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:47 | 2066449 a growing concern

Firesale prices on cruises, but only if you act within the next 10 minutes!

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:06 | 2066330 Oppressed In Ca...

Nice metaphor for the Italian situation.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:09 | 2066340 Hedgetard55

Also for the whole EuroZone stuation, hell for the whole global financial system. Ben injecting freshly printed dollars to try to refloat it!

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:20 | 2066368 hooligan2009

i dont think wet paper would float for very long even on the "sea of liquidity (injections)"

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:29 | 2066392 francis_sawyer

Some ships (vis-a-vis "Achille Lauro")... Were just not meant to float...

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:58 | 2066484 Kinskian

Apparently, neither was Leon Klinghoffer.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:12 | 2066341 Hedgetard55

The Captain was arrested because under Italian law he is criminally liable for the safety of the ship and passngers

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:55 | 2066467 MsCreant

Ben Bernanke better not go to Italy then...

Edit: On second and third thought, neither should Obama, Bush, Sarkozy, Berlasconi...

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 14:21 | 2066556 chumbawamba

It's cool, Three-Card Monti has them covered.

-Chumblez.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 19:25 | 2067167 kaiserhoff

That's exactly how long it should have taken to arrest Corzine.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:06 | 2066332 Elwood P Suggins

Looks a lot like the Euro. Practice?

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:08 | 2066335 OMG

Nothing that duct tape can't handle

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:24 | 2066378 CrockettAlmanac.com

Paging Red Green....

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 04:38 | 2068164 gmj

It'll buff out.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:17 | 2066337 lynnybee

thank you for this, Tylers ! recently, i was on my own 'cruise from hell' & it was a CARNIVAL ship. based upon my own experience with CARNIVAL .......... NEVER AGAIN !

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:18 | 2066364 hooligan2009

watch out, you might become designated a terrorist for such a display of patent anti-americanism...have you checked which political party is a signficant recipient of campaign funds?

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 22:29 | 2067687 StychoKiller

Hmm, the Republicons AND the Decepticrats BOTH receive "contributions" -- from the SAME D@MN Corp's!

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:54 | 2066471 DoChenRollingBearing

@ lynnybee

We have been on three Royal Caribbean cruises (including to Alaska, very interesting) and all three cruises went very well. Good food!

We just went once on Carnival, which is a bit more child-friendly. We enjoyed it, but liked Royal Caribbean better.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 14:39 | 2066576 Waterfallsparkles

I was also on a Carnival Cruse a long time ago. It was terrible. There were roaches crawling all over the wall in my room and when we were standing in the Movies against the wall I saw a roach crawl on the shoulder of the Man in front of me. The actually served me Bacon with Mold on it. It was disgusting.

Plus, when we were getting on the Boat you had to be careful as they were throwing the luggage on the ship as people were boarding without regard to the people. You had to watch out for them and the luggage as they did not seem to care if you got hit.

I am with you I would never go on a Carnival Cruse again after all of that.

After that Cruise it went into dry dock for an overhaul. Tip: Wait for a ship to come out of dry dock from an overhaul before you take a Cruise.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 18:32 | 2067078 krispkritter

Never even made it on the boat. Spent $900 and got scheduled for work travel more than a month in advance. Booked it through Triple-A(ssholes) and when I said I couldn't make it they refused a refund so I invoked the 'insurance' I bought. AAA said the insurance was medical only. WTF?! I have health insurance, invoice said 'Travel Insurance' even had asked if it covered cancellation and was told Yes. Told them I needed to put someone else on the tickets then and was told it was almost $400 to change the names. Ripped the office manager a new one told the whole office to eat me and walked out. Never even considered another cruise and tell anyone I hear considering it to steer clear of Carnival...

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:09 | 2066343 Richard Chesler

Is Carnival run by bankers?

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:27 | 2066385 CrockettAlmanac.com

No, it's the Pillows. Here we see them standing on the beach waiting for their ship to come in:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acrLRi7juX8&ob=av2n

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:31 | 2066399 francis_sawyer

The "bankers" were seen re-arranging the deck chairs as the ship was going down...

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:12 | 2066350 kindape

kind of a microcosm of Italy in general...

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:13 | 2066353 The trend is yo...

a pre cursor to the USS DLR and EUR. I wonder if CEO's and commander's in chief will be arrested? At least they can't take away the liberty of day dreaming YET.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:14 | 2066356 GeorgeHayduke

Symbolic of what's coming for the world economy, and with luck, The Powers That Be in 2012?

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:16 | 2066360 Hulk

You have to feel for the old folks trapped on this thing. I wonder how something this big gets up-righted?

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:35 | 2066409 Mr Lennon Hendrix

The economy or the ship?

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:52 | 2066463 Hulk

I see what you did there !!!

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:57 | 2066482 MsCreant

That was funny, ya'll are adorable.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 14:08 | 2066517 DoChenRollingBearing

Aren't they? Hulk, Mr Lennon and you MsC are treasures here at ZH.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 15:01 | 2066640 Papasmurf

fill it with rubber bladders and pump them full of air.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 20:20 | 2067316 TerraHertz

For bankers, this sounds MUCH more appropriate than guillotines and nooses.

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 10:48 | 2068488 msamour

In this case, they can weld temporary plates on the ship's side where the damage occurred, then pump the water out. They will have to bring in barges to offload some of the gear, and some fuel to make as light as possible. I estimate the salvage will cost close to a million.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:19 | 2066366 ZeroPoint

I love the fact that the staff was telling people that the ship listing was 'not a real problem'.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:59 | 2066487 MsCreant

Again, kind of like the economy, or the real estate industry if you like...

Mon, 01/16/2012 - 01:22 | 2067984 TheFourthStooge-ing

The damage is largely contained to the subprime decks.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 14:01 | 2066492 CrockettAlmanac.com

Hoist the green shoots, matey.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 22:57 | 2067743 StychoKiller

"It's getting better!"

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:21 | 2066373 extona

The leak is clearly transitory.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 15:00 | 2066635 DoChenRollingBearing

Bullish even.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:23 | 2066380 Atomizer

Who was on the passenger manifest?

Steady, As She Goes

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:35 | 2066410 CrockettAlmanac.com

The millionaire and his wife, the movie star the Professor and Mary Anne.

PS - Don't know the Raconteurs but sounds very cool.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:57 | 2066480 Atomizer

Thanks, I came from a different era of music. Today.. Justin Bieber is your talented music star. bwahahahaha!!

The Stooges - I Wanna Be Your Dog

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 14:07 | 2066515 CrockettAlmanac.com

I was raised in the days of Zeppelin, Who, Clash. I like Iggy but I Wanna Be Your Dog reminds me of an old college roommate and his crazy girlfriend who slept in his bed but made him sleep on the floor at the foot of the bed. Along with other things it was a strange situation.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 16:56 | 2066907 Atomizer

I was born in 1967. Product of Punk Rock and Indie bands. Lived a dual life. Preppy dressed during day (for Dad & Mom). During (17-ish Birthday) weekend nights, would open my second story window to drop the combat boots, biker jacket and moshing apparel into flower beds. As I headed downstairs in my penny loafers, my parents would interrogate me on my where abouts for the evening. My seasoning was a good short lived experience for me. I learned about politics and the very people who were suffering back then. Everyone didn't fear over a created international straw man.. Terrorism didn't exist. I was a punk poser, too clean cut looking and everyone knew it!!. Made a ton of friends.

Lastly, no class warfare ever existed amongst this music group scene. Back then, my dad's expensive car driven into the unquestionable neighborhood's was never stolen or broken into by.. White Cracker's, Afro-Americans, Mexicans, Asian, Blue lipped Presidential Marxists, Taliban, Al-CIAda or Janet Napolitano . Fast forward to today, I would never take my dad's old expensive car to that same neighborhood.

Welcome to Central Parasite Planning. I'll never forget the awesome music & learning about individual American life experience/problems told too me.

Joining the Peace Corps or United Nations today will never give you any solid idea on how America has transgressed as the super power of the world!!.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:27 | 2066387 ViewfromUnderth...

The centre of gravity on all these ship designs is a fucking nightmare...everything is fine until it suddenly is not.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:32 | 2066401 DCFusor

Yes, but - the only way to sink one is like this - where the water is so shallow it can't even sink! While this is gross, one thing to consider is how few were even hurt out of 4k+...

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 13:37 | 2066415 xela2200

It is amazing this type of accidents occurs now a days. These ships have millions of dollars in navigational equipment. Just a $200 gps could had warn them. It is not like an iceberg that is floating around. These are huge rocks that have been in the same spot for thousands of years. It sounds like someone was a bit negligent.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 14:03 | 2066499 DoChenRollingBearing

IIRC, the recent book The Wave (I forget the name of the lady author) said that about two cargo ships per WEEK are lost on the world's seas! The ships most at peril are the bulk cargo carriers (the ones that carry iron ore, corn, etc. in bulk) because they have a very LOW center of gravity and ride low in the water. What gets them are "Rogue Waves" and storms that flip them over. There are certain areas notorious among mariners for rogue waves, just off the east coast of South Africa is perhaps the most dangerous in the world for such waves (100' waves that come out of nowhere).

That same book has lots of surfer stuff too, dudes.

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 14:38 | 2066587 disabledvet

And to think 100 foot waves were predicted for the Med that day! What WAS the Captain thinking risking passenger and crew with a such a forecast???

Sun, 01/15/2012 - 22:11 | 2067632 gravedestruction

Very similar book by an author (Delaney?) called "Simple Courage" about rogue waves and the sea's peril.

This sea captain that was struck twice by rogue waves, saves the ship, then keeps mum on the "ogueray avesway".

Rogue waves were not even recognized by science up until recently though high seas mariners knew quite well they were more than just a frequent sailor's tail of the seas - go figure...

So DoCen you in the precision bearing manufacturing business? (Just curious as my background is in manufacturing)

Video And Post-Mortem of Spectacular Carnival Cruise Liner Accident Off Tuscan Coast

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