The sinking of the cruise ship Costa Concordia seems almost unthinkable to routine cruise travelers like myself. Costa put out the following statement on the incident.
“The route of the vessel appears to have been too close to the shore, and in handling the emergency, the captain appears not to have followed standard Costa procedures.”
I’m not familiar with Costa’s procedures but I am recommending the following if they don’t exist already:
1. The Captain and executive crew are the last to leave a sinking ship. The Captain is expected to handle the evacuation from the ship.
2. Communicate “Mayday” as soon as the severe nature of the accident or incident is known.
3. All crew members are to be trained thoroughly on ship evacuation procedures and what their responsibilities are. Crew members unfamiliar with their roles should not be employed on a ship.
4. The safety of passengers is paramount. Communicate honestly and timely to passengers during an emergency. The Captain should generally handle this responsibility.
