Schettino parties as Concordia tow away nears

Front page of Il Golfo

JULY 22, 2014 — As salvors worked to prepare the wreck of the Costa Concordia for towage, the man on the bridge when the cruise ship grounded (but in a lifeboat shortly thereafter) was pictured partying yesterday evening at a villa in Foro on the island of Ischia.

Francesco Schettino was pictured in local newspaper Il Golfo enjoying female company at an exclusive annual “White Party” hosted by publisher Peter Graus.

Schettino, who is on trial on charges of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck, and abandoning ship, is reportedly renting an apartment on Ischia to escape media attention as the tow out of the Concordia gets underway. Schettino denies the charges.

Meantime, work is in progress to complete the last operations before the tow of the Costa Concordia wreck from Giglio Island, planned for tomorrow, Wednesday July 23. By this morning, the wreck had a draft of approximately 18 meters. By noon, technicians had lowered the last starboard sponson (S14). Welding was in progress to position the bollards needed for the arrival of the wrecked cruise ship in the port of Genoa for recycling.

UPDATE Concordia tow gets underway