Costa Concordia Passengers Instruct Travel Law Experts Irwin Mitchell
20/01/2012
International travel litigation experts, Irwin Mitchell, have received instructions from a number of passengers who were on board the Costa Concordia when it capsized last weekend.
Sandra Rodgers, 62, and her family were on board the ship when the disaster happened. She has told how she has lost a number of priceless family heirlooms as well as her husband's ashes as they tried to make it onto a lifeboat.
Reports are now suggesting that captain Francesco Schettino has admitted making a navigation error, reportedly telling investigators that he "ordered the turn too late" as the cruise ship sailed near the island of Giglio.
Sandra, originally from Caergwrle in Chester and now living in Menorca, was on holiday with her daughter Karen and her seven year old twin granddaughters Emma and Chloe.
Telling of the horrific and terrifying experience she said: "The evacuation of the ship was completely chaotic. There was certainly no ’women and children first’ policy. It was disgusting. I lost my daughter and my grandchildren in the chaos whilst we were being told by the crew that there was a simply a technical problem. We were also told by crew that we should go back to our cabin. Thank God we didn’t do as they had told us as we may not have made it off the ship alive.
“I was standing by the lifeboats and men were banging into me and knocking the girls. And when we finally got into a lifeboat, other passengers and crew were also trying to jump into the boat. I thought ‘if they land in here we are going to capsize.
“There was no one telling us where to go and it was only when we got on to the island that we got some help – from the islanders. There were no emergency services and the cruise staff had all disappeared. The people of the island were a God-send.
“We lost both my husband, Barry, and my father last year. We had decided to take the cruise to lift our spirits after a very sad year and what we thought would be a difficult Christmas for us all. We had planned to scatter Barry’s ashes when the cruise passed Monaco, because Barry had always wanted to see the Monaco Grand Prix. It’s dreadful but his ashes were lost onboard the Concordia as well as other family heirlooms from my late mother and father.
”We have lost so many things that are quite literally priceless. The girls are also now too afraid to be left alone. We have all been deeply affected by what has happened and I also injured my arm during the evacuation of the ship and have had to have medical treatment in Menorca."
Head of the International Travel Litigation Team at Irwin Mitchell, Clive Garner is representing Ms Rodgers, her family, and a number of other passengers from the ship. He said: "We are continuing to receive enquiries from a growing number of passengers from both the UK and abroad in relation to the Costa Concordia tragedy and are shocked to hear the personal accounts of many of our clients, including the terrible ordeal of Mrs Rodgers and her family.
“They have clearly been through a terrifying and most traumatic experience and one which may have long lasting effects for them.
“With thousands of people on board this huge vessel, the safety of passengers should have been the first and only priority. Tragically, our clients confirm that this was not the case and passengers and their families have paid a very heavy price.
“The running aground of the Costa Concordia was terrible enough but this was compounded by the woeful management of the evacuation of the vessel.
“As well as the official investigation we are working with colleagues in Italy and maritime safety experts to understand exactly how the Costa Concordia came to run aground. On the evidence currently available there appear to have been a number of serious errors of judgment on the part of the Captain, while faults with the sonar and navigation equipment also cannot be ruled out at this stage.
“Following formal notification of our clients’ claims to the cruise line we hope to engage them in early discussions but if this proves unsuccessful, legal proceedings will follow.”
Irwin Mitchell has also raised concerns regarding reports in the Italian newspaper La Stampa in August 2011 of a letter which praised Captain Francesco Schettino for a previous sail past the island which went very close to the shore.
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