The sinking of the Costa concordia
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
International
the sinking of the Costa concordia
You and your family are A true nightmare
vacationing aboard the Costa could it
The catastrophe happened on
Concordia. The huge, modern happen here?
January 13 at 9:30 p.m., just
cruise ship is sailing along Ports on Canada’s Pacific
two-and-a-half hours after the
the coast of Italy. You are just and Atlantic coasts are major
$450-million vessel had set sail
finishing supper in the dining destinations for cruise lines.
from a port near Rome. Up to 230 cruise ships stop in
room. The food is amazing, and
About 300 metres off the Italian Vancouver alone every year. They
everyone is having a wonderful
island of Giglio, the ship hit bring an average of one million
time. passengers. But experts say a
rocks. The impact ripped a
Suddenly, the lights go out Costa Concordia-style disaster is
50-metre gash in the vessel’s
and you are knocked down unlikely to happen here. Why?
hull. As water began pouring
by a powerful jolt. Then the Because government agencies
in, the captain desperately tried oversee our coastal waters. They
100,000-tonne ship starts to to steer the liner to Giglio’s require that all large vessels
tip sideways. Your holiday has port, but it was too late. Within within three kilometres of shore
turned into a nightmare. minutes, the vessel was sinking take on specially-trained pilots to
The script for an adventure and passengers were panicking. help them get safely through our
movie? Guess again. For the waterways.
At the magic show in the ship’s
4,229 passengers and crew on theatre, the magician himself
board the Italian vessel, this disappeared. Hallways turned “It was just the most frightening
scary scenario was real. upside down. Frantic passengers and unbelievably horrific
crawled blindly through experience of our lives,” said
“In a moment, everything was
broken glass in the dark. To Canadian passenger Andrea
up in the air – people, chairs,
save themselves, some even Davis. “People were stampeding.
glasses, food,” one terrified
jumped overboard into the cold Bodies were flying and crushing
passenger recalled.
Mediterranean Sea. into walls. Doors were flying off
hinges and glass was flying from
the upper levels.”
Page 8 What in the world? • Le vel 1 Feb. 2012
International
the sinking of the Costa concordia
Some passengers made it onto ship was not on its correct route
lifeboats. Others had to wait for when the disaster happened. The titanic
five rescue helicopters to airlift Yet alarms would have sounded Tragedy
them to safety. A few people if the vessel had strayed from The Costa Concordia tragedy
trapped inside the vessel had to its course by mistake. The happened almost exactly 100
be rescued by special teams. only explanation? The captain years after one of the most
had made a decision to take a famous accidents at sea ever –
Sadly, not everyone survived. By the sinking of the RMS Titanic.
dangerous detour.
January 20, the death toll had
On April 14, 1912, the Titanic
reached 11. Twenty-one more Officials also criticized Captain
– the largest passenger liner of
were still missing. Schettino’s actions after the its kind at the time – struck a
accident. For one thing, he massive iceberg. It was on its first
Environmental
waited 40 minutes before telling voyage from Southampton in the
threat
passengers to abandon the ship. United Kingdom to New York
Another huge concern following By then, it was too late for some City in the U.S. The ice sliced
the accident? The threat of an people to get to lifeboats. And open the ship’s hull and water
environmental crisis. The clean at that point many lifeboats began pouring in. On April 15,
waters off Giglio are prime couldn’t be lowered because the 1912 at 2:20 a.m., the Titanic
fishing grounds. They are also ship was listing too much. went down about 600 kilometres
a protected area for dolphins, south of Newfoundland.
porpoises and whales. The Costa Other mistakes? The Captain
Sadly, because the Titanic was
Concordia’s 17 double-bottomed didn’t tell authorities how
said to be unsinkable, there
tanks held 1.9 million litres of serious the accident was until
were not enough lifeboats for
fuel. If that fuel spilled into the 10:30 p.m. That delayed the everyone. More than 1,500 of the
water, the coast and marine life rescue effort by a full hour. He 2,000 passengers drowned.
would be seriously harmed. also left the ship as the crisis
unfolded. That’s a serious crime “I did not abandon a ship. The
To try to prevent this, workers under Italian law. And when
laid eight kilometres of oil ship suddenly listed and we
the coast guard ordered him to were thrown into the water,” the
barriers around the ship. Then, return to his vessel to help the
on January 24, they began captain said. He added that he
passengers, he refused. assisted rescue efforts from a
preparing to pump oil out of the
vessel’s tanks. The operation was As a result, Captain Schettino lifeboat and then from shore. J
expected to take 28 days. was placed under house
arrest. He faces charges of
What went wrong? manslaughter, causing a
The company that owned the shipwreck and abandoning a
ship blamed Captain Francesco ship. However, he says he is
Schettino for the accident. innocent of at least one charge.
Crociere Costa SpA said the
Definitions
House arrest: imprisoned in one’s home manslaughter: the unlawful killing of another
listing: leaning to one side human being unintentionally
Feb. 2012 What in the world? • Le vel 1 Page 9International
the sinking of the Costa concordia
ON THE LINES
Answer the following in complete sentences:
1. Describe the Costa Concordia.
2. Where and when did this ship begin its cruise?
3. How many passengers and crew were on board?
4. What happened to this ship shortly after it set sail?
5. Describe how survivors got off the ship.
6. How many people lost their lives as a result of this accident?
7. Describe at least three errors that officials say the captain made the night of the collision.
8. What impact could the ship’s sinking have on the environment? Explain.
Page 10 What in the world? • Le vel 1 Feb. 2012International
the sinking of the Costa concordia
BET WEEN THE LINES
Making an inference: An inference is a conclusion drawn from evidence. A plausible inference is
supported by evidence in the article and is consistent with known facts outside of the article.
What reasons can you suggest to explain why Captain Schettino might have chosen to change the route
of the Costa Concordia? How can you account for his behaviour after the accident?
BEYOND THE LINES
Writing from a perspective: As a Costa Concordia passenger in a lifeboat heading to Giglio, post a
tweet to your Twitter account describing what you have just gone through.
A good tweet is 140 or fewer characters in length, provides a clear snapshot of the event, and is interesting
(grabs the reader’s attention, piques the reader’s curiosity, or communicates an important thought).
JUST TALK ABOUT IT
1. a) What do you know about the sinking of the Titanic? Of the Costa Concordia? Briefly summarize
these two events.
b) As you see it, in what ways are these two disasters similar? Different?
2. As you see it, what is the significance of the sinking of the Costa Concordia? Consider the impact of
the accident on the Italian tourism industry, the cruise industry, on passengers and their families, and
on others.
ONLINE
Visit our student website at www.news4youth.com and click on the What in the World? tab to:
1. View a timeline and map of the sinking of the Costa Concordia (or visit http://www.cbc.ca/news/
interactives/italy-cruiseship-disaster/).
2. Find out what happened and what will happen next with the ship (article and diagram) (or visit
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16563562). J
Feb. 2012 What in the world? • Le vel 1 Page 11Images in the News
Getting inside the picture
Directions:
1. Study the photograph below.
2. Then, complete each quadrant on the Getting Inside the Picture chart. Use as many details as you
can.
3. Now, select one of your powerful words. Use this as a springboard for a 5-minute Quick Write. Let
your pen flow. A good descriptive paragraph has vivid details and helps the reader “get inside the picture”
(experience the event as if he/she were right there).
4. Generate three possible titles for this picture. Then select the one that best captures the essence of the
image. Explain why this is the most suitable title.
(Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Images)
Prepared with assistance from TC2 , The Critical Th inking Consortium. © 2012
Page 12 What in the world? • Le vel 1 Feb. 2012Images in the News
getting inside the picture
Title: ________________________________________________________________
Senses Images
What might you hear, smell, taste or touch? What details in the photograph create vivid
What colours, textures, sounds, movements do you experience? pictures in your mind?
Words Feelings
What powerful words describe the scene? What do you feel when you look at this image?
What might you think, wonder, say if you were there? What might the people in the photograph be feeling?
Quick Write
Possible titles:
1. _______________________________ 2. _______________________________ 3. _______________________________
The best title is # _____ because . . .
Prepared with assistance from TC2 , The Critical Th inking Consortium. © 2012
Feb. 2012 What in the world? • Le vel 1 Page 13You can also read
