Captain Francesco Schettino, often dubbed "Captain Coward" by the media, was sentenced to 16 years and one month in prison for his role in the 2012 Costa Concordia disaster. His conviction included multiple counts of manslaughter, causing a maritime shipwreck, and the high-profile charge of abandoning ship before all 4,229 passengers and crew had been evacuated. The sentencing broke down into ten years for multiple manslaughter, five years for causing the shipwreck, and one year for abandoning the vessel, plus an additional month for providing false information to authorities. Despite multiple appeals to the Italian Court of Cassation and the European Court of Human Rights, his sentence was upheld. As of 2026, Schettino remains incarcerated in Rome’s Rebibbia prison, having begun his sentence in May 2017. His actions during the tragedy became a global case study in the failure of maritime leadership and the violation of the ancient code of the sea.