Costa Concordia Disaster Videos: Amateur Footage Shows Passenger Evacuation, Panic

According to Italian media reports, the captain of the Costa Concordia initially told authorities that there had simply been a "small technical failure."

After the luxury cruise liner hit rocks and capsized off the coast of Italy on Friday, amateur footage captured by passengers emerged showing harrowing scenes of the accident.

Now, a video shot by a German passenger on board the stricken cruise ship reveals that passengers were told that the problem was "an electrical fault."

"On behalf of the captain to inform you that due to an electrical fault, which is currently under control, we are currently in a blackout," a member of the crew announces over the cruise ship's speaker system.

"Our technicians are working to resolve the situation and we will inform you of developments as they occur. Thank you for your attention," he continues.

The Huffington Post U.K. reports on the captain's earlier attempt to downplay the disaster:

According to reports the captain, Francesco Schettino, claimed there was only a "small technical failure" -- but in fact the Costa Concordia had already run aground, according to the timings of a radio conversation obtained by Italian media.

The question from a port official came at 9.49pm on Friday over the ship radio: "Concordia, is everything ok?"

The response from the ship was "positive", Il Fatto Quotidiano reported.

But five minutes later the operations room at Livorno port was said to have contacted the liner again after a passenger had allegedly reported a problem and mentioned the word "shipwreck".

The inquiry was reportedly again met with the response: "It is just a technical problem."

Later, the captain got into a heated conversation with a member of the Italian coastguard, who ordered the captain to return to the ship to report on the status of the remaining passengers and assist with the evacuation.

WATCH amateur videos of the ship's evacuation in the slideshow below:

Comments

[socalcde]

09:02 AM on 01/18/2012

The "electrical malfunction" announcement is just infuriating! These people were some of the lucky ones.

[Charleen Borchers]

08:57 AM on 01/18/2012

At least they were in shallow water. Think of the tragedy if this was out farther in the water and sank. What I do not understand is how the Captain ended up in a life boat with crew before all passengers were off the ship. I thought the Captain always went last. All of this just so they could wave at someone's family on shore? Glad I can't afford to go on a cruise. I am safe at home.

[QuakerJewish]

01:09 PM on 01/18/2012

This would not have happended if the captian had stayed out in deep waterlike he was required to. The captain's ego caused this.

[spicedust]

11:04 PM on 01/17/2012

Titanic sunk in 1912 and 100 years later this cruise sank, very similar to Titanic!

[Carbon Forteetoo]

12:12 AM on 01/18/2012

Similar, in that it was a ship. No further similarities.

[Janette Hamilton]

03:12 AM on 01/19/2012

Exactly what is so similar in these two disasters? The Titanic sunk in the middle of the ocean in deep cold water. Most who did not die in the disaster itself died in the water waiting for rescue. Titanic did not have enough life boats so almost 1500 of the 2000+ passengers on board died. The Titanic's captain never left the bridge and as a result went down with the ship. About the only similarities between these two marine disasters are the fact that both ships struck a foreign object before sinking, nd that both disasters were caused by the ships being off course, in other words human error. The sinking of the Titanic was one of if not the worst marine tragedy to date. There is no comparison and I am not sure what point you are attempting to make by comparing the two.

[spicedust]

10:02 AM on 01/19/2012

Thanks for Enlightening me! I truly regret for that comment. Wish I knew how to delete :(

[Craig2]

10:26 PM on 01/17/2012

Good evening, Just a ?? A 300 meter long ship suffers a 50 meter wound... ok. That's a big wound, but then it rolls over and dies? What about water proof bulkheads? All engines and power goes out? Sounds like poor design to me. Duck tape will float until it hits something.

[randytall]

10:55 AM on 01/18/2012

Are you a naval architect?