Audio of ship evacuation call released
Description
An Italian newspaper releases a dramatic recording it says is of the conversation between the port authority and the captain of the stricken ship as passengers were evacuating on Friday night.
During the call, a port authority officer repeatedly orders Captain Francesco Schettino, who is now facing accusations of manslaughter and abandoning ship, to get back on board.
(SOUNDBITE) (Italian) LIVORNO PORT AUTHORITY MR. DE FALCO SAYING:
"Get back on the ship, and tell me how many people there are and what they have on board. Clear? Tell me if there are children, women and what kind of help they need. And you tell me the number of each of these categories. Is that clear? Look, Schettino, perhaps you have saved yourself from the sea but I will make you look very bad. I will make you pay for this. Dammit!"
During the exchange, which was reportedly recorded by the coast guard, Schettino says it is dark and that the ship is tilted.
(SOUNDBITE) (Italian) COSTA CONCORDIA CAPTAIN FRANCESCO SCHETTINO SAYING:
"How many dead are there?"
(SOUNDBITE) (Italian) LIVORNO PORT AUTHORITY MR. DE FALCO SAYING:
"I don't know. One I am aware of. One I've heard of. You need to be telling me this. Christ!"
(SOUNDBITE) (Italian) COSTA CONCORDIA CAPTAIN FRANCESCO SCHETTINO SAYING:
"But you are aware it is dark and we can't see anything?"
(SOUNDBITE) (Italian) LIVORNO PORT AUTHORITY MR. DE FALCO SAYING:
"And what do you want? To go back home, Schettino? It's dark and you want to go back home? Get on the bow of the ship and tell me what can be done, how many people there are and what do they need. Now!"
After a nearly four-minute exchange the captain agrees to get back on board, which he reportedly never did.
At least six are confirmed dead after the vessel hit a rock and rolled over near the island of Giglio.
The chief purser, who fell and broke his leg while trying to help passengers and was rescued Sunday, spoke of the ordeal from the hospital.
(SOUNDBITE) (Italian) COSTA CONCORDIA CHIEF PURSER MANRICO GIANPETRONI, SAYING:
"I did not lose time rescuing people, it is my job to save everyone, if possible. I was not going to help, no help is not the right word, there was a group of people, a little left behind the others, the last part of the queue, I wanted to go and tell them to get closer, just to comfort them because I believed they were scared, that's it."
Most of the ship's 4,200 passengers made it to safety, but rescue teams are still searching for about people believed missing.
Lindsey Parietti, Reuters
During the call, a port authority officer repeatedly orders Captain Francesco Schettino, who is now facing accusations of manslaughter and abandoning ship, to get back on board.
(SOUNDBITE) (Italian) LIVORNO PORT AUTHORITY MR. DE FALCO SAYING:
"Get back on the ship, and tell me how many people there are and what they have on board. Clear? Tell me if there are children, women and what kind of help they need. And you tell me the number of each of these categories. Is that clear? Look, Schettino, perhaps you have saved yourself from the sea but I will make you look very bad. I will make you pay for this. Dammit!"
During the exchange, which was reportedly recorded by the coast guard, Schettino says it is dark and that the ship is tilted.
(SOUNDBITE) (Italian) COSTA CONCORDIA CAPTAIN FRANCESCO SCHETTINO SAYING:
"How many dead are there?"
(SOUNDBITE) (Italian) LIVORNO PORT AUTHORITY MR. DE FALCO SAYING:
"I don't know. One I am aware of. One I've heard of. You need to be telling me this. Christ!"
(SOUNDBITE) (Italian) COSTA CONCORDIA CAPTAIN FRANCESCO SCHETTINO SAYING:
"But you are aware it is dark and we can't see anything?"
(SOUNDBITE) (Italian) LIVORNO PORT AUTHORITY MR. DE FALCO SAYING:
"And what do you want? To go back home, Schettino? It's dark and you want to go back home? Get on the bow of the ship and tell me what can be done, how many people there are and what do they need. Now!"
After a nearly four-minute exchange the captain agrees to get back on board, which he reportedly never did.
At least six are confirmed dead after the vessel hit a rock and rolled over near the island of Giglio.
The chief purser, who fell and broke his leg while trying to help passengers and was rescued Sunday, spoke of the ordeal from the hospital.
(SOUNDBITE) (Italian) COSTA CONCORDIA CHIEF PURSER MANRICO GIANPETRONI, SAYING:
"I did not lose time rescuing people, it is my job to save everyone, if possible. I was not going to help, no help is not the right word, there was a group of people, a little left behind the others, the last part of the queue, I wanted to go and tell them to get closer, just to comfort them because I believed they were scared, that's it."
Most of the ship's 4,200 passengers made it to safety, but rescue teams are still searching for about people believed missing.
Lindsey Parietti, Reuters
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