Irish diver arrested for ‘theft’ on Costa Concordia wreck
AN Irish diver is among four people arrested by police after they were found on the wreck of the Costa Concordia.
They are alleged to have been hunting for souvenirs on the cruise ship.
The man, who is aged 35, was not named last night. He was with a 42-year-old English man and two South Africans, 24 and 26, who were all staff of the salvage group Titan – which had been employed in the operation to raise the Concordia.
Police allege the men were spotted by CCTV cameras positioned around the vessel in the early hours of Saturday morning and a boat was immediately dispatched to the scene to investigate.
The men have been dismissed from their job at the salvage company. They have also been bailed by authorities in Grosseto, Tuscany, until they appear before a court at a later date accused of theft and of breaching a sealed crime zone. Lt Elisabette Spoti, of the paramilitary carabinieri police, said: ‘The men were spotted by CCTV’s positioned facing the Concordia and the security firm employed alerted us, and Titan as to the unauthorised presence of the four men. They should not have been anywhere near the vessel as it is still a crime scene and as such sealed off. When they were held, they had with them in their possession a rucksack with the Costa Concordia emblem on it.
‘They had no permission to be on the ship and they were caught at 1.30 in the morning, when no salvage operation was ongoing.
Lt Spoti refused to say whether there were other items inside the rucksack, but added all four had been charged with theft and violating a crime scene. She added they were found by deck 8 and that area has several outside cabins as well as executive staterooms – and all of them have safes inside.
Another police source said: ‘The men said they were just looking for a few souvenirs and that they had no intention of taking anything personal, expensive or that would be of use to the investigation but that is not the issue. It is still a crime scene.’
Titan said in a statement: ‘Four employees have been dismissed after they were identified on-board the Costa Concordia without permission and in a zone that is off limits. The matter is now in the hands of the local authorities.’
The luxury liner sank in January 2012 after captain Francesco Schettino changed course in order to carry out a sail by salute.