Cruise captain sparks outrage among mariners

(AP) 

STOCKHOLM - Seafaring tradition holds that the captain should be last to leave a sinking ship. But is it realistic to expect skippers — only human after all — to suppress their survival instinct amid the horror of a maritime disaster? To ask them to stare down death from the bridge, as the lights go out and the water rises, until everyone else has made it to safety?

From mariners on ships plying the world's oceans, the answer is loud and clear: Aye.

"It's a matter of honor that the master is the last to leave. Nothing less will do in this profession," said Jorgen Loren, captain of a passenger ferry operating between Sweden and Denmark and chairman of the Swedish Maritime Officer's Association.

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Seamen have expressed almost universal outrage at Capt. Francesco Schettino, accused of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and of abandoning his crippled cruise ship off Tuscany while passengers were still on board. The last charge carries a potential sentence of 12 years in prison.

Jim Staples, a captain for 20 years, who spoke Wednesday from a 1,000-foot cargo vessel he was captaining near New Orleans, said captains are duty-bound to stay with the ship until the situation is hopeless. When they bail early, everything falls apart.

"I'm totally embarrassed by what he did," he said of Schettino. "He's given the industry a bad name, he's made us all look bad. It's shameful."

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82 Photos

Luxury cruise ship runs aground

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Schettino should have remained on board "until the last passenger is accounted for," said Abelardo Pacheco, a Filipino captain who was held hostage for five months in Somalia and now heads a seafarers' training center in Manila.

"That is the responsibility of the captain, that's why all privileges are given to him but he has together with that an equal burden of responsibility," Pacheco said.

The Costa Concordia, carrying more than 4,200 passengers and crew, slammed into a reef on Friday, after Schettino made an unauthorized maneuver. A recording of his conversation with the Italian Coast Guard suggests he fled before all passengers were off, and resisted repeated orders to go back, saying the ship was tipping and it was dark. Schettino reportedly said he ended up in a life raft after he tripped and fell into the water.

Coast Guard to capt.: "Go back on board!"

He is being held in house arrest as prosecutors prepare criminal charges.

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Inside the Costa Concordia wreck

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Even if he's not convicted, it is highly unlikely that he'll ever command a cruise or cargo ship again because of the damage to his reputation, said Prof. Craig Allen of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut.

"Some people panic, but a short time later they collect their senses and do the right thing," Allen said. "In this case there was more than enough time for the moment of panic to pass. It was abject cowardice."

Maritime experts said the tradition of a captain standing by his ship isn't established in international maritime law. Some countries, like Italy, have included it in national laws.

Others respect it as "an unwritten rule or law of the sea," said Capt. Bill Wright, senior vice president of Marine Operations for the Royal Caribbean International cruise line.

Both literature and real life offer plenty of examples of shipmasters who paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect their passengers and crew.

The most famous, perhaps, is the captain of the Titanic, E.J. Smith, who evacuated the ship — women and children first — until there were no lifeboats left, and then perished with it.

A more recent example is Robert Royer, the captain of a fishing vessel that sank off Alaska in 2010. As water gushed into the ship and the three other crew members jumped overboard, Royer stayed in the wheelhouse to make a frantic mayday call and give the ship's position to the Coast Guard. The crew said that likely saved their lives, because the ship's emergency beacon didn't work.

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After more than three hours in the water, they were rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter. Royer, however, died after suffering a head injury when he finally left the ship.

Maritime experts say such manifestations of courage at sea far outnumber incidents in which captains saved themselves and left their passengers behind.

Those who did earned instant infamy, like the captain of the Greek luxury liner Oceanos, which sank in rough seas off South Africa in 1991.

The 402 passengers and 179 crew members all survived, but Captain Yiannis Avranas and other officers left the ship while some passengers were still on board.

A magician who had been performing on the ship took over the bridge, monitoring rescue calls, as a fellow entertainer kept passengers calm by playing Beatles songs on his guitar. Avranas at the time defended his actions, saying he left the ship to direct rescue operations.

"When I order abandon ship, it doesn't matter what time I leave," Avranas said. "Abandon is for everybody. If some people like to stay, they can stay."

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[vissionquest]

You have totally missed the point --captains are not captains because they agree to be the last person on the boat, they are captains because they train what to do in the case of emergencies, they prepare for disaster, their knowlege is not sacred because they look good at the captain's dining table or they have a crisp salute. They have been educated to be in command -- they are paid to be in command they are responsible. If the captain is not in charge of saving lives, who should be? A fireman isn't special because he has the uniform, he is special because he is trained and willing to go ionto harms way to save lives. A Captain is not a Captain cause he knows which way to move the helm, it is because he has trained foer and accepted the responsibility. This man is not only an insult to all Captains, he is an insult to all human beings.

[mari1963]

But the question is, if they placed him on house arrest for killing these passengers, will he ever really see jail time?

[rshawk]

A ship 950 ft long and 114,000 tons sideswiping an island. Alcohol had to be involved.

[ProgressNow]

Something like this can really impact his ability to find follow-on employment...

[westerly1]

CBS & other media along with the cruise industry need to do a better job of explaining the composition and duties of the crew. My experiences on Royal Caribbean out of the U.S. are much more positive. First a muster is always done prior to sailing. The crew has assignments to direct people to their muster location. The muster alarm is sounded throughout the ship; you cannot miss it
. Second their is a hiercharcy of officers assigned duties during a cruise and in an emergency. The captain is not always at the bridge and may be involved in welcoming parties, etc. A first officer would be there in his absence. Usually he would be on the bridge during departure and arrival at ports.

So the media needs to do a better job of explaining standard management and protocol on cruise ships, in my opinion. Perhaps their is variation by cruise line or U.S vs int'l. It seems that someone wants to demonize the captain before all the facts are in. Where are the other responsible officers and who was on the bridge when the accident occurred?

[canislupus16]

"Where are the other responsible officers and who was on the bridge when the accident occurred?"

In an earlier story a day or two ago, it was reported that because Schettino was either still "dining with his companion" or had already abandoned ship or was on the bridge insisting it was an electrical problem - but nevertheless was NOT doing anything to coordinate the evacuation or provide leadership to his crew, they, in essence and in maritime parlance, mutinied, and took over in an attempt to coordinate rescue and evacuation activities. As it was reported, they did so, i.e., mutinied and assumed his role, because Schettino abrogated his role to lead the effort. However, it seems possible that not all crew members could know Schettino had gone AWOL on his role - figuratively or literally - and it seems plausible not everyone was on the same page (ya think!?).

I agree that it would sure be nice to know precisely who is responsible for what in this situation - the role of the captain, his senior crew, middle level crew responsible for operating the vessel and so on, down to the cook, porters, waiters, and paid entertainment. As I have understood this, there would be protocols and varying responsibilities and levels of coordination the whole way up and down - that is why the drills are done and practiced. But it would still be up to the captain to provide the overall hands-on leadership and direction, would it not, unless he was incapacitated (I think we now can assume he was, in one fashion or another).

We can also understand that when the captain is not at the bridge, a senior officer in charge would be at the bridge - and thereby in charge of the ship, assuming the captain was engaged in some non-emergency activity; one assumes the captain is permitted to eat, sleep, or be merry when no higher priority activity is required of him. But it sounds like he WAS on the bridge, and at the helm, otherwise how did he steer the ship for a fly-by and run aground? And once that occurred, why would he not immediately assume responsibility for overseeing the evacuation and any other necessary actions?

I, for one, would like to know more about the "muster" you mention - I think you hit the nail on the head for those of us who are not aware of this. It seems obvious that if the public following this knew about such protocols we'd be a lot further ahead in understanding this.

[Jaylah54]

canislupus16, from what I have heard on other media reports, most US cruise lines do the "muster" before they leave port. Whereas cruise lines in other countries are allowed to do their first emergency drill up to 24 hours after leaving port. I heard it reported that the Costa Concordia's first drill (or muster) was planned for the next day.

[mbcollins2]

The captain should be the last to leave the ship -- period.

If he knew that he had to be the last off the ship, perhaps we would have given more thought about going off course?

Many people died that day due to his cavalier attitude and his cowardice. He should never be the captain of anything again -- not even a rubber ducky.

12 years is not enough. He should get life in prison without the possibility of parole.

[Ascolais]

To bad that same outrage is not being expressed at the crew of the "US Ship of State" which is now foundering on the rocks of deficit spending.

[Jim1900]

The Republicans express outrage every time they are asked to pay for it. Otherwise, they are pretty silent.

[ProgressNow]

Yep, "w" should have stayed and fixed the wreck he made of the "US Ship of State". Thank god Obama was ready to lead the way to safety...

[costaricabob]

This man is an out and out murderer and the worst sentence is 12 years in prison, out in 6 with good behavior?....there should be a death sentence for murdering all those people who believed in them, he may as well took a gun to their heads.....I will never take a cruise anywhere and encourage everyone I know to stay away from any type of cruise..

[heartpatient64]

This captain committed one of the most cowardly and perfidious acts in recent history. He deserves prison - nothing less.

[chiefengineer4]

You and almost 99% of media should learn that the proper term is NOT "Captain" but instead "Master" which has entirely different meaning and is the proper word used by all mariners and relevant authorities. Similarly, it is only the uninformed media, trying to be cute, that use the term "black box" to describe data recorders, again using a term never used by relevant authorities. Grow up!

[bobnjersey]

[You and almost 99% of media should learn that the proper term is NOT "Captain" but instead "Master" which has entirely different meaning and is the proper word used by all mariners and relevant authorities.]
--------------------------------
has a different meaning to who?

is using the alternate terms confusing the issue ... or would using your 'correct' terms make it clearer?