Costa Concordia Update: Compensation Deal Reached For Uninjured Passengers, Salvage Work Continues
Costa Crociere has offered uninjured passengers that were onboard the Costa Concordia $14,460 each to compensate for baggage, personal belongings, and psychological trauma after their cruise ship ran aground and capsized off Italy. Some passengers have already refused the deal; they feel that a price cannot yet be put on what they suffered. They are free to pursue their own legal actions if unhappy with the deal.
This decision was made by Costa after negotiations with consumer groups who are representing the 3,206 passengers from over 60 countries that this applies to. In addition to the lump-sum compensation, Carnival Corporation will also reimburse these unharmed passengers a full refund on their cruise, return travel expenses, and any medical evaluation expenses.
This offer does not apply, however, to the hundreds of crew onboard, the estimated 100 people who were injured mainly in evacuation chaos, or the families of victims from the sinking. 16 bodies have been recovered from the wreck site, and 16 more are reported missing still and presumed dead.
Some consumer groups have also already joined in the criminal case against Concordia captain, Francesco Shettino, who is accused of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck, and abandoning ship. Codacons, a well-known Italian consumer group, has enlisted two US law firms to launch class-action suits against Costa and Carnival; they hope to get around 1.3 million per passenger. Many foreign lawyers are advising their clients to pass on the settlement.
Costa representatives claim that this deal provides passengers with a quick and generous restitution, which is almost $20,000 per passenger including other reimbursements. It has immediate response and no legal expenses.
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Tuscany’s regional environment agency reports that although some film has been detected in the waters around the ship, toxic tests are all negative and indicate nothing abnormal. Officials released a list of some of the other possibly toxic substances aboard the cruise liner, including 50 liters of insecticide and 41 cubic meters of lubricants, among other things.
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