Hero and villain in Italian ship saga

Captain of cruise ship that grounded off the coast of Italy has come under fire for allegedly abandoning his ship.

Italian ship

The verbal battle between the captain of a grounded Italian cruise ship and an angry coastguard has grabbed the attention of the Italian media.

A recorded telephone call of coastguard captain Gregorio De Falco urging Francesco Schettino, the vessel’s captain accused of abandoning the ship, to “get on the damn boat” has transformed De Falco into a national hero.

Al Jazeera’s Paul Brennan reports from the island of Giglio.

Source: Al Jazeera