Cruise laws face shake-up

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This was published 12 years ago

Cruise laws face shake-up

By Rome
The Costa Concordia.

The Costa Concordia.Credit: Getty Images

A US lawyer for compensation-seeking survivors of the Costa Concordia capsizing will push for changes in maritime laws and technology to make the cruise ship industry safer.

John Arthur Eaves said in about two weeks he would file lawsuits against Miami-based Carnival Corp, the parent company of Italian cruise line Costa Crociere, whose ship struck a reef on January 13 and capsized.

At least 17 people were killed and 15 remain unaccounted for.

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Mr Eaves said he had 70 clients from the US and Europe wanting to sue Carnival.

The Concordia's captain, Francesco Schettino, is under house arrest in Italy. Prosecutors are investigating Schettino for alleged manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning the luxury liner while many of the 4200 passengers and crew were still aboard.

Mr Eaves said he thought too much attention was focusing on the role of the captain, who has denied abandoning the ship.

He said some crew members apparently failed to promptly inform passengers of the serious nature of the accident, and another issue was why the Concordia was sailing so close to the island's rocky coast.

Mr Eaves said he would lobby Italian and European politicians, and international maritime authorities, to tighten regulations and laws to increase safety, to press for better training of crew and to develop new safety-oriented technology.

AP

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