# It's No Pit yet of the captain of the Concordia? Allow me **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 20, 2012, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-no-pit-yet-of-the-captain-of-the-concordia-allow-me/610089 "2012-01-20T02:33:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-no-pit-yet-of-the-captain-of-the-concordia-allow-me/610089/41 "2012-01-20T14:37:16Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I promise, if my ship hits the rocks, I’l start drinking “I’ll have a scotch – ON THE ROCKS!” ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-no-pit-yet-of-the-captain-of-the-concordia-allow-me/610089/42 "2012-01-20T14:40:18Z")
Good one! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-no-pit-yet-of-the-captain-of-the-concordia-allow-me/610089/43 "2012-01-20T14:51:35Z")
I really need to spend more time with Italian literature. If _Lord Jim_ had been written by one of them instead of by an Anglicized Pole, blowjobs would have figured more prominently in the protagonist’s fall from grace. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-no-pit-yet-of-the-captain-of-the-concordia-allow-me/610089/44 "2012-01-20T15:30:08Z")
This guy is fucked beyond fucked. He’s going to land his ass in jail, and probably be killed in short order. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-no-pit-yet-of-the-captain-of-the-concordia-allow-me/610089/45 "2012-01-20T15:35:19Z")
He’s got a career ahead of him piloting oil supertankers off the coast of Alaska. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-no-pit-yet-of-the-captain-of-the-concordia-allow-me/610089/46 "2012-01-20T16:12:38Z")
Compare the Costa Line captain, with Captain Smith (of the RMS Titanic): -Capt. Smith stayed on his ship-till it sank -Caot. Smith told the radio operators to leave-when it was obvious that nothing more could be done -Smith continued to supervise his officers-even as the bridge was submerging Capt. Schettino took off, and ignored the Coast Guard order to return to his ship We don’t even know who was on watch when the ship struck the reef-presumably this will all come out in the court of inquiry. Anybody know what punishment Italian Maritime Law provides for a captain who leaves his duty station? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-no-pit-yet-of-the-captain-of-the-concordia-allow-me/610089/47 "2012-01-20T16:17:28Z")
12 years in prison, is the maximum sentence that I’ve seen reported in the news. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-no-pit-yet-of-the-captain-of-the-concordia-allow-me/610089/48 "2012-01-20T16:28:31Z")
Here’s an irony. [According to the CEO of the company that owns Concordi](http://storyful.com/stories/1000018876)a, Schettino was initially hired as a safety officer. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that he and Homer Simpson had the same job. I know Homer was briefly a submarine commander – was he ever a ship’s captain? ---
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-no-pit-yet-of-the-captain-of-the-concordia-allow-me/610089/49 "2012-01-20T16:31:52Z")
> [@Huerta88](#): > > Reminiscent of how the Italian army managed to have several thousand frostbite invalids in their June campaign against the French. That’s odd, there is never snow in the Alps in June. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-no-pit-yet-of-the-captain-of-the-concordia-allow-me/610089/50 "2012-01-20T16:53:05Z")
Oh. Now, I get that joke about the glass-bottomed Italian navy! ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-no-pit-yet-of-the-captain-of-the-concordia-allow-me/610089/51 "2012-01-20T16:57:53Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > This is great. It reminds me of an Eminem song: “What, you tripped, fell, and landed on his dick?” Or even better from the Bruce Willis movie \*The Last Boy Scout (1991) \* “_It was an accident, right? You tripped, slipped on the floor and accidentally stuck your dick in my wife. 'Whoops! I’m so sorry, Mrs. H. I guess this just isn’t my week_.'” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-no-pit-yet-of-the-captain-of-the-concordia-allow-me/610089/52 "2012-01-20T17:03:21Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > The captain of the Concordia’s sister ship was on board by coincidence, actually stayed aboard and managed the evacuation, and has condemned Captain Schettino’s actions. I heard an interview with some of the passengers. They said they never saw any of the ship’s officers during the evacuation. They said the only member of the crew they saw doing anything to help the passengers was one of the showgirls. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-no-pit-yet-of-the-captain-of-the-concordia-allow-me/610089/53 "2012-01-20T17:05:48Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > This guy is fucked beyond fucked. He’s going to land his ass in jail, and probably be killed in short order. They’ve even got an empty prison cell since they let Amanda Knox go. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-no-pit-yet-of-the-captain-of-the-concordia-allow-me/610089/54 "2012-01-20T17:07:23Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Compare the Costa Line captain, with Captain Smith (of the RMS Titanic): > -Capt. Smith stayed on his ship-till it sank > -Caot. Smith told the radio operators to leave-when it was obvious that nothing more could be done > -Smith continued to supervise his officers-even as the bridge was submerging > Capt. Schettino took off, and ignored the Coast Guard order to return to his ship > We don’t even know who was on watch when the ship struck the reef-presumably this will all come out in the court of inquiry. > Anybody know what punishment Italian Maritime Law provides for a captain who leaves his duty station? Good heavens, you’re RIGHT!! Why…I’m beginning to think that the Italian captain behaved BADLY in this situation, ralph! Thank you, THANK YOU for coming in to point that out to us, elsewise this unthinking commendation and support for the captain would have continued unabated! Nothing, no matter how subtle or obscure, gets past ol’ Eagle-Eyes ralphie here. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-no-pit-yet-of-the-captain-of-the-concordia-allow-me/610089/55 "2012-01-20T17:08:06Z")
This dude sounds more and more like Zapp Brannigan with every new piece of information. “Here’s a course with some chest hair!” ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-no-pit-yet-of-the-captain-of-the-concordia-allow-me/610089/56 "2012-01-20T17:20:33Z")
Did anyone else picture [Zapp Brannigan](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTQJWDVXyk8&feature=related) when you first heard about this story? ETA: DAMMIT **friedo**! “You win again, gravity”. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-no-pit-yet-of-the-captain-of-the-concordia-allow-me/610089/57 "2012-01-20T17:21:32Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Did anyone else picture [Zapp Brannigan](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTQJWDVXyk8&feature=related) when you first heard about this story? Unpossible. If someone had thought of Zapp Brannigan surely they would have mentioned it in the thread already. edit: I think this is a rare double-ninja situation. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-no-pit-yet-of-the-captain-of-the-concordia-allow-me/610089/58 "2012-01-20T17:40:22Z")
Whew! ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-no-pit-yet-of-the-captain-of-the-concordia-allow-me/610089/59 "2012-01-20T18:56:18Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > They’ve even got an empty prison cell since they let Amanda Knox go. Well if anyone’s thinking of getting a place there in Tuscany don’t bother. There’s really nothing available. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2012, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-no-pit-yet-of-the-captain-of-the-concordia-allow-me/610089/60 "2012-01-20T19:01:40Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > The captain of the Concordia’s sister ship was on board by coincidence, actually stayed aboard and managed the evacuation, and has condemned Captain Schettino’s actions. . I read somewhere that the only crew member who stayed onboard till the end of the evacuation was the (named, but I don’t remmeber his name)…ship’s accountant! Wouldn’t vouch for the truth of this statement, though. Anyway this captain is a living caricature, the kind of guy Hollywood wouldn’t show in a movie (just before the hero comes onboard to save the day) because it wouldn’t be credible. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-no-pit-yet-of-the-captain-of-the-concordia-allow-me/610089.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-no-pit-yet-of-the-captain-of-the-concordia-allow-me/610089.md?page=4)