'I never panicked' - Jamaican chef survives shipwreck

[malaise]

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20120122/news/news1.html
<snip>
Antonio Wright, who worked as a chef, has high praises for the Costa Cruise Line, but labelled the vessel's captain a coward. The captain, Francesco Schettino, is under house arrest, accused of multiple manslaughter, causing a shipwreck, and abandoning ship before all passengers were evacuated. The captain denies the claims.

The Jamaican, who has been working with the Costa Cruise Line for some two decades, vividly described the hellish scenes onboard the ship before it capsized. It was pure pandemonium; high drama in a relatively shallow section of the seas. Wright said when the cruise ship ran aground, it felt like an earthquake.

"The whole ship vibrated. People were screaming and crying. They panicked and didn't know what to do," he recalled.

According to Wright, the cable being used to lower the life raft into the ocean got stuck and it was left suspended in mid air. Again, the passengers and crew members panicked. "You just had to quieten them and let them hold hands and don't panic until we reach down."

[Scuba]

1. Captain Schettino behaved in the best traditions of the Republican Party.

[malaise]

3. Apparently the cooks had more training about

guiding passengers to safety - the captain is a coward

[Ichingcarpenter]

5. He had real class. the captain

no class while serving the first class.

Katrina? anyone?

[malaise]

8. The truth is that we ordinary people

look out for one another.

[etherealtruth]

2. Clearly there were many honorable Costa Cruise Line employees aboard ship that night

.. and then there were those that tripped and fell into life boats.

Back on track ... the honorable and courageous actions of the many should be lauded and not over-shadowed by the cowardice of the few.

[malaise]

4. Not likely here because the coward also

caused the disaster

[etherealtruth]

6. Oh I agree ....

It is sad that folk that acted courageously, like the cook in the story, will not be remembered (as they should be) ... because the action of the Captain was so egregious.


The idiot captain's cowardice made the cook's (and I am sure many others) bravery even more significant (in the absence of leadership)

[malaise]

7. He'll be all over TV in Jamaica

We'll remember him. He'll probably receive a national honor as well.

[etherealtruth]

9. As it should be!!!!! n/t