"Schettie, you're doing a heck of a job."

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Francesco Schettino: the captain who refused to return to ship
Evidence suggests that, after the Costa Concordia ran aground, the skipper first went into denial and then fell to pieces

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/17/francesco-schettino-captain-costa-concordia?newsfeed=true

John Hooper in Rome
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 17 January 2012 14.47 EST



Captain Francesco Schettino on the bridge of a cruise liner in New York in 2010. Photograph: Action Press/Rex Features

In one recording, carried by the website of La Repubblica newspaper and made at 1.46am, Schettino speaks indistinctly, as if he was either in tears or had come close to breaking down. He is heard protesting and imploring as the coastguard, Gregorio De Falco, orders him unsuccessfully to return to his vessel.

"You go aboard. It is an order. Don't make any more excuses. You have declared 'abandon ship'," says De Falco.

"What do you want to do?" asks De Falco at one point. "Go home?"

The recordings reveal a man apparently out of control, incapable of displaying the kind of decisiveness needed from a ship's captain in ordinary circumstances, let alone a disaster such as this.

[liberal N proud]

1. This guy isn't fit to captain a dingy

Let alone a cruise ship full of people.

[customerserviceguy]

2. Is it my imagination

or does he look like Gopher? He sure doesn't sail like Captain Stubing.

[Rhiannon12866]

3. If I recall, their version of Gopher was one of the people who was rescued

This captain sure has a lot to answer for...

[spanone]

4. i think schettino is el toasto