Costa Concordia Captain Francesco Schettino Argues With Italian Coast Guard (FULL TRANSCRIPT, AUDIO)

By The Associated Press

-- Here is a translation of the transcript of the conversation between Capt. Francesco Schettino, commander of the grounded Costa Concordia, and Capt. Gregorio De Falco of the Italian coast guard in Livorno.

In the conversation, De Falco repeatedly orders Schettino to return to the ship to oversee the evacuation, while Schettino resists, making excuses that it's dark and that the ship is listing.

The audio was first made available on the website of Corriere della Sera, and the Italian coast guard confirmed its authenticity Tuesday to The Associated Press.

___

_De Falco: "This is De Falco speaking from Livorno. Am I speaking with the commander?"

_Schettino: "Yes. Good evening, Cmdr. De Falco."

_De Falco: "Please tell me your name."

_Schettino: "I'm Cmdr. Schettino, commander."

_De Falco: "Schettino? Listen Schettino. There are people trapped on board. Now you go with your boat under the prow on the starboard side. There is a pilot ladder. You will climb that ladder and go on board. You go on board and then you will tell me how many people there are. Is that clear? I'm recording this conversation, Cmdr. Schettino..."

_Schettino: "Commander, let me tell you one thing..."

_De Falco: "Speak up! Put your hand in front of the microphone and speak more loudly, is that clear?"

_Schettino: "In this moment, the boat is tipping..."

_De Falco: "I understand that, listen, there are people that are coming down the pilot ladder of the prow. You go up that pilot ladder, get on that ship and tell me how many people are still on board. And what they need. Is that clear? You need to tell me if there are children, women or people in need of assistance. And tell me the exact number of each of these categories. Is that clear? Listen Schettino, that you saved yourself from the sea, but I am going to... I'm going to make sure you get in trouble. ...I am going to make you pay for this. Go on board, (expletive)!"

_Schettino: "Commander, please..."

_De Falco: "No, please. You now get up and go on board. They are telling me that on board there are still..."

_Schettino: "I am here with the rescue boats, I am here, I am not going anywhere, I am here..."

_De Falco: "What are you doing, commander?"

_Schettino: "I am here to coordinate the rescue..."

_De Falco: "What are you coordinating there? Go on board! Coordinate the rescue from aboard the ship. Are you refusing?"

_Schettino: "No, I am not refusing."

_De Falco: "Are you refusing to go aboard commander? Can you tell me the reason why you are not going?"

_Schettino: "I am not going because the other lifeboat is stopped."

_De Falco: "You go aboard. It is an order. Don't make any more excuses. You have declared 'abandon ship.' Now I am in charge. You go on board! Is that clear? Do you hear me? Go, and call me when you are aboard. My air rescue crew is there."

_Schettino: "Where are your rescuers?"

_De Falco: "My air rescue is on the prow. Go. There are already bodies, Schettino."

_Schettino: "How many bodies are there?"

_De Falco: "I don't know. I have heard of one. You are the one who has to tell me how many there are. Christ."

_Schettino: "But do you realize it is dark and here we can't see anything..."

_De Falco: "And so what? You want go home, Schettino? It is dark and you want to go home? Get on that prow of the boat using the pilot ladder and tell me what can be done, how many people there are and what their needs are. Now!"

_Schettino: "...I am with my second in command."

_De Falco: "So both of you go up then ... You and your second go on board now. Is that clear?"

_Schettino: "Commander, I want to go on board, but it is simply that the other boat here ... there are other rescuers. It has stopped and is waiting..."

_De Falco: "It has been an hour that you have been telling me the same thing. Now, go on board. Go on board! And then tell me immediately how many people there are there."

_Schettino: "OK, commander"

_De Falco: "Go, immediately!"

___

Comments

[Halescha]

09:03 PM on 01/19/2012

I feel sorry for anyone with the surname "Schettino" -- he has sullied his name.

[mightytonkatruc]

10:49 AM on 01/20/2012

Perhaps his name will become synonymous with cowards, much like Benedict Arnold is synonymous with traitors.

[calypso21]

11:21 PM on 01/18/2012

It was pitch black and he was aiding rescuing people. I do hope those he did help will come forward in his defense. This seems like a smear campaign to ensure a good scape goat for many others involved.

[politicallyincorrect1160]

01:00 PM on 01/19/2012

Apparently, he wasn't aiding ANYONE other than himself. It was reported that he was just saying that to the Coast Guard to get them off his back. He was a 100% die-hard COWARD who was trying to get the hell away from the boat, but the Coast Guard was interfering with his "clean and quick" escape! I hope they put him in prison.

[Bo Balls]

03:09 AM on 01/20/2012

No. A ship's captain is entrusted with staying on the ship, delegating an evacuation process to crew members, obtaining as much information as possible about it's remaining passengers, and giving that information to rescue crews to facilitate rescue efforts. He abandoned ship, his crew, and his passengers. He is a coward and a criminal.

[yankeetwo]

03:17 PM on 01/18/2012

One thing is certain, Francesco Schettino will captain nothing bigger than a row boat in the future, and that only without passengers. He's a coward and a liar. He was responsible for 4200 lives (and a half-trillion dollar vessel), and took that responsibility lightly! He made a stupid, reckless mistake, while GRANDSTANDING (i.e. while showing off), which killed perhaps dozens of innocent passengers, and then he tried to escape his responsibility, first by abandoning ship before his passengers were off, and then by lying about it. IRRESPONSIBILITY in such responsible positions should not be tolerated. Since not a few people DIED due to his foolishness, he should serve the max, in prison, which I think is 12 years.

[Lynn91464]

12:04 PM on 01/18/2012

What a coward this Schettino is! I find him particularly offensive given the fact that my father spent his whole career on ships from when he was a boy in Norway to Captaining Merchant Marine Vessels and oil tankers when he immigrated to the USA. He regarded the safety of anyone onboard a ship he was in charge of with the utmost importance and took his responsibilities very seriously . He taught both me and my sister how to take charge on his own personal boats and to have the utmost respect for open waters. This pathetic excuse for a human being doesn't deserve the title of Captain. He never watched out for the best interests of his passengers or crew. He broke so many maritime laws and criminal laws that he will be lucky to see the outside of a jail cell when this is all said and done. We all reap what we sow in this life, and this man has a lot to answer for as does Carnival Cruiselines. Hope they all get exactly what they deserve. Condolences to all those lost in this horrible tragedy and their families.

[jenniejinx]

10:21 AM on 01/18/2012

what a coward, he needs to be locked up for life

[yankeetwo]

07:12 PM on 01/18/2012

We don't usually lock people up FOR LIFE, no matter how stupid or cowardly they are. However stupid, and however much damage was done, it was an accident. This man was completely unfit for his job, being hugely short of the kind of character needed to take responsibility for the lives of so many people, not to mention so much property. Some of the blame goes to those who hired him, probably the ship owners. I think that 12 years in prison, the maximum the (Italian) law allows, together with the loss of his career and every scrap of self-respect, and the respect of others, should be enough punishment.

[jenniejinx]

07:40 PM on 01/18/2012

for an Italian man to do this is unheard of,its just plain sad,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[venusb377]

10:10 AM on 01/18/2012

This captain will pay for his non actions for the rest of his life you can be sure. The Italian people will treat him with disdain. Is he a coward?? YES. And he will be treated as such. And for the remark about the phrasing of the words, in Italian Yes it is different and to the Italians we Americans sound funny when translated to the italian.

[lynniemiller]

10:02 AM on 01/18/2012

So sad that this captain has no regard for his passengers.
He should never captain anything, ever.
I do not know what Italian laws proclaim, but, I hope he gets jail time for this disaster.

My condolences to the families and friends of the victims.

[borzai]

09:57 AM on 01/18/2012

The captain is a coward that much is clear. But before ANY of you condemn him look at your own lives the captain was faced with life defining moment everything was chaos he knew he had screwed up he was scared and in one moment rather then come through the fire of the crucible he was consumed by it instead of being the captain he should have been he broke and saved himself is it wrong? yes. Is it cowardly? yes. but tell me how many of you would have been broken? and before you say "blahblahblah but im not a captain" damn right your not your all couch commandos

[luvmysawyer]

01:39 PM on 01/18/2012

I think I can safely speak for all....we are glad that YOU Borzai, are not a Captain of a ship!!! His life was not in danger. He disobeyed direct orders. Throw the book at him.

[fryejt]

05:30 PM on 01/19/2012

Hey. Moron. I, for one, have ten years active military service. I'm sure there's at least one more like me calling this guy a coward. Be careful about universalizing statements like "your [sic] all couch commandos".

[Michaelg50]

09:07 AM on 01/18/2012

The blatant cowardice of the captain is establishe­d. Now we have to ask how a cruise line can employ someone like that. Seriously, in an age where we have tests for everything there must be a way to determine if someone is a coward and unfit for the critical position of captain.

[lafcew]

10:19 AM on 01/18/2012

Perhaps the cruise line can't predict who will put their ships and passengers in jeopardy, but this was not the first time Schettino did so. He intentionally strayed off course and came even closer to the island last August. Costa should have fired him then.

[mosby theresa]

07:33 AM on 01/18/2012

The news crew wanted to know what Schettino's last words were. I thought it was Ciao, arrividerci!

[mbrownNY]

04:25 AM on 01/18/2012

What a brave and honorable man that Schettino is.

[Alki Gifting]

06:30 AM on 01/18/2012

Hee hee woi

[fryejt]

05:55 PM on 01/19/2012

mbrownNY, you have a firm grasp of irony, my friend.

[Dolores de Cabeza]

03:10 AM on 01/18/2012

Schettino = Finito

[Alki Gifting]

06:30 AM on 01/18/2012

Hehehe

[MTibbs]

02:14 AM on 01/18/2012

How did this Schettino get overlooked for the Republican nomination?

[national pike]

05:07 AM on 01/18/2012

MTibbs...you are a skunk. There are dead and dying on that ship and you feel it is appropriate to make a foolish political statement? You have no character. I'm ashamed that you are an American.

[ShakeYourComplacency]

06:18 AM on 01/18/2012

But are not ashamed of all the Republicans posts I'm reading everywhere ridiculing our President? I'm ashamed of YOU.

[Donna Lyn Harris]

07:32 AM on 01/18/2012

This is a Huffpost article with readers posting comments! And YOU"RE making comments like THIS?! Calm down and get some perspective.

[Chante Ayona Hill]

08:08 AM on 01/18/2012

Funny!

[RHofm50129]

09:50 AM on 01/18/2012

You must be as dumb as the idiot who posted that tasteless remark.

[candlesmp]

01:45 AM on 01/18/2012

wow - can you say coward? It's dark...And that's the excuse for his abandoning ship and ignoring his duties as captain? Poor widdle baby got scared because he needed a night-light. He needs to give his head a shake.

[Alki Gifting]

06:29 AM on 01/18/2012

Haha heehee

[huffpost account]

01:34 AM on 01/18/2012

Bgoodhuman asks, "when is it proper for the captain to leave the ship?" The answer is simple. The captain stays, helps all aboard to safety and does not leave until all are safe OR in this case, when the coast guard is on board and directly relieves him of command. That is not too difficult to understand. The coast guard has authority over a ship's captain. Any pilot of any boat knows that.