The island of Giglio on Friday
will mark the fifth anniversary of the Costa Concordia cruise
liner shipwreck, as it has done each year since 2013, with a
special Mass, the sounding of boat sirens and a torchlight
procession in memory of the 32 people who died in the disaster
off its coast.
With 3,216 passengers and 1,013 crew members aboard, the
cruise ship hit an underwater rock formation off the island's
east coast just south of its port at 21:45 on the evening of
Friday, January 13, 2012, in a strong impact that opened a hole
70 metres wide on the left side of its hull.
The ship's captain, Francesco Schettino, had decided to
"navigate according to his sailor's instinct, closer to the
island, trusting in his abilities", wrote judges in the
subsequent trial sentence, in which he was given 16 years and
one month in prison.
The ship ran aground north of the island's port at Punta
Gabbianara, which saved it from sinking 100 metres to the sea
floor.
In addition to the 32 people who were killed in the disaster,
an additional 157 people were injured.
Schettino lost an initial appeal on May 31 of last year, and
received an additional five-year ban on practicing any maritime
profession.
His defence team appealed to Italy's supreme Court of
Cassation to annul the sentence and is awaiting a decision.
Schettino was the only person to stand trial for the disaster
after a number of crew members and company staff reached plea
bargains with prosecutors and were sentenced to three years
each.
On Friday, a memorial Mass will be celebrated in the church
of Santi Lorenzo and Mamiliano where many passengers took refuge
after the shipwreck.
At Punta Gabbianara where the ship ran aground, a flower
wreath will be placed in the sea followed by a torchlight
procession to the memorial plaque marking the disaster, where
boats in the port will sound their sirens and a minute of
silence will be observed.
Italy's Environmental Minister Gianluca Galletti is expected
to attend the ceremony.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
