We’ll soon know truth of cruise ship sinking

As we read of the loss of the Italian Cruise ship, Costa Concordia, I am reminded of the loss of another Italian passenger liner, the Andrea Doria, with 3,000 souls aboard on July 25, 1956.

The Andrea Doria, larger than the Titanic, was the pride of the Italian people when it seems to have veered into the wrong lane in the North Atlantic and collided with the Swedish ship, Stockholm. There were five people killed on the Stockholm and 46 on the Andrea Doria.

The Stockholm, which did not sink. was the first ship to receive survivors. There were unconfirmed stories that the Stockholm refused the first life boat to reach it because it only transported crewmen and no passengers. They were told to return with passengers. Today there are reports of the captain of the Costa Concordia fleeing the evacuation of his ship, trying to hide under a blanket. Tradition has the captain as the last man off a sinking ship.

There will be multiple investigations, as there were after the sinking of the Titanic. The captain and senior officers of the Titanic went down with the ship in the highest tradition of the sea. The owner of the Titanic lives on today in shame because he dressed himself as a woman, and got into a life boat.

We will soon learn what the investigations reveal, if the highest traditions of the sea were upheld and what further fatal mistakes were made.

Priscilla Weese

Wheaton