Six Dead After Cruise Ship Runs Aground

Six people are believed to have died after a luxury cruise ship carrying 4,200 passengers and crew ran aground off the coast of Italy. A major rescue operation was launched last night after the Costa Concordia began sinking near the island of Giglio, off the Tuscan coast. A harbour master said the ship looked like it had ''ran aground'', although Costa Cruises, which owns the ship, said it was ''too early to say what caused the incident". Coastguard official Cmdr Francesco Paolillo said at least three bodies had been retrieved from the sea. 

He said there were "probably" at least three more victims, although he had not received confirmation of those further deaths.

As the ship began to list heavily to one side, coastguards were immediately dispatched to the scene while terrified passengers were ordered to put on life vests and man lifeboats.

There were reports of people having jumped into the water.

A helicopter and five other ships that were in the area were also used in the rescue mission.

"It was just like something out of the Titanic. You could tell straight away that the ship had hit something and no way was it an electrical fault." (Passenger Mara Parmegiani)

To read rest of the story >> visit ABC Source

Do you like this story?