On top of his original prison term, Schettino was banned from public office from life and from working as a ship captain for five years. Florence’s appeals court has upheld the 16-year jail term for Francesco Schettino, the captain of the Costa Concordia cruise ship, which sank off Italy in 2012 leaving 32 people dead. Survivors who rejected Costa’s initial compensation offer and became civil parties in the Schettino case were awarded an average of €30,000 each. Costa Crociere avoided potential criminal charges by accepting partial responsibility and agreeing to pay a €1m (£769,000) fine. Schettino was not in court when the verdict was read out by presiding judge Grazia D’Onofrio.

Source: The Guardian May 31, 2016 21:55 UTC