Witness says Schettino’s orders not understood by helmsman

(see related) (ANSA) – Grossetto, October 28 – One of the junior officers of the Costa Concordia testified Monday that the helmsman could not understand the orders from Captain Francesco Schettino before the cruise ship fatally crashed. Salvatore Ursino, an officer in training on the cruise ship when it crashed in January 2012 killing 32 people, said that the Indonesian helmsman could not understand Schettino’s commands.

Twice, the captain repeated his orders and warned the ship would otherwise hit the rocks of the island of Giglio – but Schettino did not actually intervene to help, said Ursino, testifying at the trial of the captain.

Ursino said he was trying to assist.

“I stood beside the helmsman because we were going with manual navigation and also because sometimes there was need for repeating orders, which were given in English,” he testified.

“I did so on my initiative”.

Schettino is on trial in the Tuscan city of Grossetto for charges including multiple manslaughter and dereliction of duty.

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