CALGARY – The captain held responsible for sinking a cruise ship that killed 32 people near Italy three years ago was sentenced to 16 years behind bars Tuesday, but he won’t be forced to serve that time until an appeal goes through the courts. It’s a verdict that doesn’t bring much satisfaction to a Calgary couple who survived the tragedy.
“I imagined that this would be closure for me,” said Andrea Davis, who wrote a book detailing her experience. “But, in all honesty, it’s been an emotional turmoil for me because the captain’s verdict and his sentence is not going to have a life-long effect and change in the way that we have been affected from the moment of this accident.”
READ MORE: Wreck of Costa Concordia reaches final destination – the scrapyard
Davis says she and her husband are haunted by the memories: People screaming and being thrown around the ship are images that linger even three years later.
“Our lives will never be the same again.”
The former capitain, Francesco Schettino, sobbed inside the Italian courtroom this morning. Davis says she feels for him and showed compassion for the fact that he is someone’s father and son. Even then, forgiveness was off the table.
“Can you forgive the captain?” asked Global News reporter Stefan Keyes.
“No,” said Davis fighting back tears after a long pause. “But I do wish for him and his family that there will be a point of reconciliation.”
The 2012 shipwreck set off a chaotic night-time evacuation of 4,000 passengers and crew.
So far, the cruise ship company Costa Concordia has offered settlements but has not been held legally responsible.
READ MORE: Costa Concordia captain sentenced to 16 years in prison
Comments