Nine feared dead after ship rams tower
The night-time accident in Genoa revives painful memories in Italy of a deadly cruise ship disaster last year
GENOA, Italy: Nine people were feared dead yesterday after a container ship smashed into a control tower in Genoa in a nighttime accident that left several missing and revived painful memories in Italy of a deadly cruise ship disaster last year.
Around 14 people were in the 50- metre (164- foot) high glasstopped tower when it was hit by the ship’s stern as it ploughed into the dock. Some were thrown into the cold water, while others were trapped under rubble or in a lift which may have toppled into the sea, media reports said.
The vast red ship was following protocol and navigating towards the control tower, when it failed to reverse properly before turning out into open sea and rammed into the concrete and metal structure. Initial reports suggested it had suffered a mechanical failure.
Claudio Burlando, president of the Liguria region that is home to the northwestern port city, told SKY TG 24 that “the ship was being conducted by an on-board pilot and two tug boats, one in front and one behind.”
“It was a manoeuvre done hundreds of times. We’re all wondering what could have happened,” he said.
One of the victims was reported to be Daniele Fratantonio, 30, who worked for the coast guard operations centre, while another was said to be a 47-year- old father of two.
Rescue workers dived into the inky waters around the port – the busiest in Italy – in a frantic search to find those missing after the crash, which seriously wounded four.
“The weather conditions were perfect, there was no wind, there were no other ships on the move,” Luigi Merlo, the head of Genoa’s port authority, told reporters.
One of the pilots was quoted as saying: “Two engines seem to have failed and we lost control of the ship.”
Rescue workers were also using dogs trained to find people in earthquake zones to see if survivors were trapped under the rubble.
At dawn, a mobile telephone which began to ring beneath the wrecked structure raised the hopes of locating survivors, but it rang off before rescue workers could localise the sound.
It was a manoeuvre done hundreds of times. We’re all wondering what could have happened.
Claudio Burlando, Liguria region president
The recovery of a fourth body from the water and a fifth inside the collapsed lift shaft reduced the number of people still missing to four, according to a spokesman for the Genoa Fire-brigade.
The accident happened during a shift change at the vast metal tower, which bent over by 45 degrees before collapsing, leaving only what looked like an emergency staircase standing.
“I heard a terrible din and rushed out of my cabin,” Roberto, the port’s night watch, told La Repubblica newspaper. “It was an incredible sight: the control tower was leaning perilously.”
The crash spooked Italians still reeling from the Costa Concordia night- time shipwreck off Giglio island in January 2012 which left 32 people dead.
Indictment hearings against six suspects in the cruise liner disaster began in Italy on April 15.
The main suspect is captain Francesco Schettino, who is accused of multiple manslaughter, causing a shipwreck, misinforming the coast guard after the crash and abandoning the ship during the rescue.
Around 3.30am ( 0130 GMT), the Jolly Nero was moved away from the crash site, which was manned by dozens of firefighters according to an AFP photographer.
An employee of the Messina Line company based in Genoa which owns the Jolly Nero confi rmed that the ship had been involved in an accident when leaving the port but said the reason was not clear.
Genoa mayor Marco Doria said Italians were in mourning after this “very serious port accident which has struck an entire city”.
The Italian container ship is almost 200 metres long, 30 metres wide, and has a gross tonnage of over 40,500. It was bound for Naples.
The ship’s owner, Stefano Messina, choked back tears as he told journalists: “We are all utterly shocked. Nothing like this has ever happened before, we are desperate.” — AFP