Dallas Morning News: Deadly cowardice at sea exposed

Two images confront us. One is the courageous sea captain, bravely battling the elements amid tragedy and misfortune, determined to go down with the ship because that's his responsibility, and that's the way things are done.

And then there's Capt. Francesco Schettino, who appears to be quite the opposite.

Many things have changed over the centuries, but the role of sea captain isn't among them. He has full command and ultimate authority over his vessel and all who sail on it. Schettino's last posting was as captain of the Costa Concordia, a Carnival-owned cruise ship carrying 4,200 vacationers on a Mediterranean loop from Rome. Schettino, 52, deviated from his programmed path to order a risky, unauthorized pass of the Tuscan island of Giglio, apparently as a favor to his maitre d', a native of the island.

The Concordia struck a reef, ripping a hole in the massive cruise liner. As alarmed officers begged him to act, Schettino dithered. Passengers describe a panicked rush to the lifeboats as the ship listed. Schettino would insist that he stayed aboard until all passengers were safely away, which a tape of his conversation with an Italian coast guard officer would disprove. Schettino, the man in charge, had taken up space in a lifeboat that should have gone to someone else. Worse, he exhibited confusion and cowardice rare among the seafaring.

Italian coast guard Capt. Gregorio De Falco demanded that Schettino return to his post to supervise the evacuation. Schettino wanted to stay in the lifeboat and resisted repeated orders to go back. The captain had no idea whether anyone had died. That number was at 11, with nearly two dozen more people listed as missing.

When he reached shore, Schettino was arrested and jailed on charges of manslaughter and abandoning ship. He's entitled to a presumption of innocence, but the evidence is stacked against him.

If you are among the millions who cruise safely each year, you know that one of the first things you do aboard is attend a "muster drill," where each passenger is assigned to a specific station, taught how to use a lifejacket and told to follow the directions of ship's staff, in case of emergency.

There's a reason international law requires it. It's one of the few compulsory events on your cruise, a brief distraction from the sun, fun, food and excellent service you receive on these floating luxury hotels.

Emergencies are rare, sinkings even rarer. But when they happen, as they will, one person is responsible. When that person fails so spectacularly, people die. The sea did not claim Francesco Schettino, and he must live with that.

The captain speaking from his lifeboat

Excerpts from the conversation between Capt. Francesco Schettino, commander of the grounded Costa Concordia, and Capt. Gregorio De Falco of the Italian coast guard in Livorno:

De Falco: You go (back) aboard. It is an order. Don't make any more excuses. You have declared "abandon ship." Now I am in charge. You go on board! Is that clear? Do you hear me? Go, and call me when you are aboard. ...

Schettino: How many bodies are there?

De Falco: I don't know. I have heard of one. You are the one who has to tell me how many there are. Christ!

Schettino: But do you realize it is dark and here we can't see anything ...

De Falco: And so what? You want go home, Schettino? It is dark and you want to go home? Get on that prow of the boat using the pilot ladder and tell me what can be done, how many people there are and what their needs are. Now!