What happened to the captain who wrecked the Costa Concordia?

Schettino's actions during the Costa Concordia disaster resulted in a 16-year prison sentence for manslaughter. Schettino was the captain in charge of the Costa Concordia on 13 January 2012, when the ship attempted a sail-by salute past Giglio, a manoeuvre he had performed before.



Francesco Schettino, the captain of the Costa Concordia, faced severe legal consequences following the 2012 disaster that resulted in 32 deaths. In 2015, an Italian court found him guilty of multiple counts of manslaughter, causing a maritime accident, and abandoning ship before all passengers and crew had been evacuated—an act that earned him the nickname "Captain Coward" in the media. He was sentenced to 16 years and one month in prison. After several failed appeals, Schettino began serving his sentence in May 2017 at the Rebibbia prison in Rome. As of early 2026, he remains incarcerated, although he has reportedly been a "model prisoner," even engaging in university studies behind bars. His defense team has continued to file petitions with the European Court of Human Rights, arguing that he was made a scapegoat for systemic organizational failures of the cruise line, but the Italian judicial system has remained firm in its verdict regarding his personal criminal negligence during the capsizing.

The captain of the Costa Concordia, Francesco Schettino, faced significant legal consequences following the shipwreck on January 13, 2012. The incident occurred off the coast of Giglio Island in Italy, resulting in the deaths of 32 people. Schettino was accused of multiple charges, including manslaughter, causing a shipwreck, and abandoning ship before all passengers and crew were evacuated.

In February 2015, Schettino was found guilty and sentenced to 16 years in prison. His sentence included:

  1. 10 years for manslaughter (for the deaths of 32 people).
  2. 5 years for causing the shipwreck.
  3. 1 year for abandoning ship (he was one of the first to leave the vessel while passengers were still on board).

Schettino began serving his sentence in 2017 after his appeals were exhausted. The Costa Concordia disaster remains one of the most notorious maritime accidents in recent history, and Schettino’s actions and decisions have been widely criticized.

People Also Ask

Francesco Schettino, who is under house arrest accused of manslaughter and abandoning ship after he grounded the Costa Concordia on the island of Giglio following the collision, has told investigators that he had not drunk alcohol that night.

MORE DETAILS

During Schettino's trial, Costa told the Florence court it had paid out 84 million euros in compensation to passengers, crew and relatives of the 32 dead, according to Italian media reports at the time. But a small percentage of people refused the compensation package and pursued lawsuits.

MORE DETAILS

A handful of surviving passengers of the wrecked Costa Concordia cruise ship filed a lawsuit against the cruise line on Friday, the same day the company offered each of the hundreds who'd been aboard the vessel a lump sum of 11,000 euros ($14,400).

MORE DETAILS

Before starting his prison sentence, Schettino lived in Meta in the Province of Naples. He is married to Fabiola Russo and has one daughter.

MORE DETAILS

The Concordia was slightly larger (952 feet to the Titanic's 883 feet) and both had a top speed of 23 knots. Both had issues with their christening, and believers in superstition might attribute the ships' tragedies to it.

MORE DETAILS

Russel Rebello, an Indian waiter, is the last person still missing from the disaster on 13 January 2012. Thirty one others are known to have died during or after the chaotic evacuation of the vessel.

MORE DETAILS

The amount of experience, the level of education, the grades they received, location, and company all can determine the year's salary. In general, a cruise ship captain salary ranges between $54,000 and more than $100,000. This may seem like a low pay scale considering the responsibilities that come with the job.

MORE DETAILS

There is no question of repair: instead the Costa Concordia will be towed to a facility where she can be broken up and smelted down to be recycled and re-used.

MORE DETAILS

Cruise ships can and have tipped over, but it is extremely rare. One of the most notable incidents was the capsizing of the Costa Concordia in 2012, which resulted in the deaths of 32 people. The accident was attributed to human error and resulted in many changes within the industry, particularly in bridge management.

MORE DETAILS

This is for the 5-year-old Dayana Arlotti from Italy, the youngest victim of the Costa Concordia disaster. She was found one month after the tragedy, together with her William Arlotti.

MORE DETAILS

The court heard how some passengers were sucked into a vortex of water rushing into the ship when the Concordia capsized. This happened after the crew told them to go to the other side of the ship where lifeboats were being launched, and the passengers ended up trying to walk down a tilting corridor.

MORE DETAILS

The helmsman, Jacob Rusli Bin, is one of five Costa Crociere SpA employees who were granted plea bargains in return for mild sentences in a separate proceeding. He was convicted of manslaughter and causing the shipwreck, and was given a sentence of one year and 8 months.

MORE DETAILS