A Moldovan dancer who was
present in the Costa Concordia command center shortly before it
crashed into Giglio Island and partially capsized, killing 32,
has called on its former captain, Francesco Schettino, to tell
the whole truth or else, Oggi.it website reported Monday.
"Francesco Schettino I give you six days to tell the truth
about what happened immediately after you gave the command to
abandon ship. Just six days!" Domnica Cemortan, who admitted to
investigators that she was having an affair with Schettino at
the time, wrote on her Facebook page.
The crash that took place at 21:45 local time, January 13,
2012, became Italy's worst maritime catastrophe since World War
II.
In addition to the 32 people who lost their lives, hundreds
were injured and the disaster caused massive economic damage for
Costa Cruises and the residents of Giglio, which is a popular
tourist destination.
First officer Ciro Ambrosio, who plea-bargained a sentence
of one year and 11 months for multiple manslaughter, testified
late last year that Schettino was "distracted" by a telephone
call and a woman in the moments leading up to the crash.
The captain is on trial for multiple manslaughter and
dereliction of duty, and could face up to 20 years in prison if
he is found guilty.
Dubbed "Captain Coward" by the media for allegedly
abandoning ship without overseeing the evacuation, Schettino
claims his image and actions have been distorted by
investigators and recently called on judges for a new probe.
He is the only person standing criminal trial over
the disaster after State prosecutors last year rejected a plea
bargain offer from him to accept a jail term of three years and
five months.
But they accepted the pleas to suspended sentences of five
other officials, including four ship's officers and the crisis
coordinator of the vessel's owners, Costa Cruises.
Costa agreed to pay a one-million-euro fine to settle
potential criminal charges last April.
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