Topic: Dancer's Clothing Found in Captain's Cabin

Items of clothing belonging to former Moldavian dancer Domnica Cemortan, 25 have been found in the private cabin of Captain Francesco Schittino, 52 according to Italian newspaper La Repubblica.

Miss Cemortan reportedly told prosecutors in Grosseto, Tuscany, this week that she was “in love” with Capt Schettino, who is married with a teenage daughter.



Passengers claimed that on the night the ship capsized the Captain had drank copious amount of alcohol, while dining with Dominica before heading back to the bridge.

Schettino is under house arrest for charges of abandoning ship and manslaughter and faces up to 12 years in prison.

Investigators have also identified a mystery woman who turned up on Giglio on the morning after the disaster and spirited Capt Schettino away from television cameras.

She is a lawyer for Costa Cruises and will be questioned by prosecutors in coming days.

There were fresh concerns over the stability of the stricken ship, which lies on its side in shallow water, after it shifted three inches in seven hours on Wednesday.

Rough seas buffeted the wreck, again delaying the operation to start removing the 500,000 gallons of diesel and heavy oil in its fuel tanks.

A large gap opened up between two glass panels that formed part of the vessel's roof, raising fears that the bad weather is weakening the structure of the luxury liner.

QUOTE:

Items of clothing belonging to former Moldavian dancer Domnica Cemortan, 25 have been found in the private cabin of Captain Francesco Schittino, 52 according to Italian newspaper La Repubblica.

Miss Cemortan reportedly told prosecutors in Grosseto, Tuscany, this week that she was “in love” with Capt Schettino, who is married with a teenage daughter.



Passengers claimed that on the night the ship capsized the Captain had drank copious amount of alcohol, while dining with Dominica before heading back to the bridge.

Schettino is under house arrest for charges of abandoning ship and manslaughter and faces up to 12 years in prison.

Investigators have also identified a mystery woman who turned up on Giglio on the morning after the disaster and spirited Capt Schettino away from television cameras.

She is a lawyer for Costa Cruises and will be questioned by prosecutors in coming days.

There were fresh concerns over the stability of the stricken ship, which lies on its side in shallow water, after it shifted three inches in seven hours on Wednesday.

Rough seas buffeted the wreck, again delaying the operation to start removing the 500,000 gallons of diesel and heavy oil in its fuel tanks.

A large gap opened up between two glass panels that formed part of the vessel's roof, raising fears that the bad weather is weakening the structure of the luxury liner.

A handsome ships captain, a beautiful dancer,items of clothing........the Italian press will have a field day, unfortunatly it detracts from the real issues of the case i.e who is to blame.....

Sean

Crew have said that the Captain NEVER drank and was NOT drinking that evening either!

What he did to whom in his Cabin is of no consequence t me, it's what he did on the bridge and during the evacuation that is important.

QUOTE:

Crew have said that the Captain NEVER drank and was NOT drinking that evening either!

What he did to whom in his Cabin is of no consequence t me, it's what he did on the bridge and during the evacuation that is important.

Is this a case of a loyal crew defending the captain? The evidence is stacking for a court to try him? I wonder if his wife will stand by him now? If she has any sense she will bin him.

It would appear that this man is moraly bankrupt in addition to all his other failings.

Why should the man's personal life interest us? I agree that this is just meant to distract people from the real, more serious issues.

If it didn't involve death and destruction then this whole thing would, increasingly, be something like a thrown together film made for some rubbish tv channel.

Would a ship's captain seriously have a fling with a not especially attractive foreign woman in an environment where everyones' every move must be known to all and sundry? Would she really leave her clothes in his cabin - and how does anyone know that they are hers anyway?

I am beginning to wonder if the truth behind this will ever fully come out, especially as it is complicated by American lawyers demanding ridiculous amounts of damages for all passengers - Costa bosses must realise that they have to be extremely careful not to say anything that may jeopardise their company, Criticism of the captain reflects upon them having chosen him as well as the reports of previous 'incidents' with this captain and ship.

The costs of this - the ship, the litigation, the personal contents, the salvage / removal, the loss of credibility etc must eventually be absolutely astronomic - and probably weigh heavily on the British insurance world. I wonder about the consequences for the cruise industry and its passengers and crews.

I find all this gossipy stuff in the media hard to stomach. Especially as people have died in this horrible incident and there are still missing bodies awaiting a decent burial. I can hardly begin to imagine what those poor relatives are going through.

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Why don't we hang him now and then give him a fair trial.

At the moment there's a lot of rumour and conjecture appearing in the media. Our thoughts should be with the relatives of the dead and missing.

I think we should wait for the truth to come out at the official inquiry.

Our legal system isn't perfect but it sure beats the 'trial by media'.

Cheers OSD

Sadly this 'Tabloid Smut' just clouds the real issues, which it seems, are many.

I think this Investigation will last for a very long time & sadly the more 'rubbish' that is spouted, will just prolong the Agony for the relatives of the missing and deceased. Dare I say it, it will also give the Owners more 'wriggle time'.

Still it sells Newspapers, nor wonder some are ceasing to buy them!