About 16 million people took a vacation on a cruise ship last year. The possibility of sinking is the last thing on the minds of those planning and booking their carefree vacations. But, accidents like the sinking of the Costa Concordia, off the western coast of Italy, by the island of Giglio, may have people rethinking their next vacation.
It was Friday, January 13th, 2012, aboard the Costa Concordia, a luxury cruise liner owned by Genoa-based Costa Cruises, when the lights went out, an ominous scraping sound was heard, and the almost 1000-foot vessel shuddered and began to tilt to one side. Passengers were told it was only an electrical issue and there was nothing to worry about. But, the Concordia had struck rocks and sustained a large gash in its hull. The ship was taking on water, and the 3200 passengers and 1000 crew members were beginning to sink.
According to passengers' accounts, chaos began to ensue as passengers rushed to fill the lifeboats and escape the ship. Some crew members helped people board the lifeboats, and some jumped overboard. Remaining members seemed helpless and unprepared to handle the life-or-death situation at hand. Apparently, there was no one there, taking command. Several people described it as chaotic and surreal, with everyone basically fighting for his or her own life. Some passengers braved the 57-degree waters to swim to shore, and others had no choice as they fell in.
Costa Cruises has already said, "The route of the vessel appears to have been too close to the shore and the captains judgment in handling the emergency appears to have not followed the Costa standard procedures." The captain deviated from frequently traveled routes, and opted into water he didn't know in advance. Cruise passengers are required by law to attend a safety briefing within 24 hours of embarkation. One passenger said the briefing was no more than a "sales pitch" for shore excursions, and others who embarked from Civitavecchia had yet to have the briefing.
This terrible tragedy isn't the first cruise ship disaster, and likely won't be the last. People sign up for cruises all the time, expecting that the experiences aboard will be some of the best, more relaxing times in their lives. Sadly, this is not always true, as the Costa Concordia tragedy has just shown us. Each year, numerous people are injured, and sometimes killed, while aboard these cruise ships.
At the South Florida law offices of Friedman, Rodman & Frank, P.A., we hold cruise ship operators responsible for the harm done. In more than 30 years of service to injury victims, we have recovered millions of dollars in compensation. While it is impossible to predict the outcome of every case, our past successes give us the resources to effectively and efficiently pursue results for you. If you or a loved one has been injured on a cruise, don't hesitate to call Friedman, Rodman & Frank, P.A., at (305) 448-8585 or toll-free at 1-877-448-8585.
