Costa Concordia runs aground, at least six dead

Costa Cruises’ Costa Concordia ran aground off the Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, late Friday night leaving at least six dead. Two French passengers, a Peruvian crew member and two others died, and another 30 people were injured, two seriously. Divers are continuing to search the ship, which is lying on its side. As of this morning (Jan. 15), it’s reported that 17 people are still unaccounted for. The ships’ Italian captain has been arrested for suspected manslaughter and abandoning his ship. Costa Cruises’ president Gianni Onorato has said the main task now is to assist survivors and help get them home. He said it is still difficult to determine what happened, but that the ship experienced a blackout after hitting “a big rock.”The accident is said to have left a 60-metre gash in the hull of the ship, sending in a rush of water and causing it to list. Rescue workers worked through the night to evacuate passengers, with normal lifeboat evacuation near impossible because of how fast the ship listed. The 4200-pasasenger Costa Concordia had sailed from Civitavecchia port near Rome for a Mediterranean cruise, due to dock in Marseille after calling at ports in Sicily, Sardinia and Spain. Rescue efforts and investigations continue.