Living Organism

Photo Courtesy of Europa Press

Immediately after the tragic shipwreck of the Costa Concordia, a media frenzy erupted, accusing Captain Francesco Schettino of abandoning ship, hours before the evacuation was complete. The luxury cruise liner ran aground after being too close to shore near Giglio Island in Italy. Members of the crew claim Schettino deliberately sailed at shore’s edge to salute a retired officer whose son was head maître d’ on the ship. Now under criminal charges for suspected manslaughter, Schettino has hired a public relations firm to provide guidance for his situation.

Unfortunately for Schettino, he does not have the support of Carnival Corporation, owner of the cruise ship. Spearheading their own crisis public relations campaign, Carnival executives quickly informed the public of “significant human error on the part of the ship’s master, Captain Francesco Schettino.” They have also announced that marketing and branding initiatives will be halted while the company reviews its safety procedures. In addition, Carnival’s CEO is keeping a very low profile in hopes of distancing Carnival from the incident. This strategy appears to be working as the public has yet to point the finger at Carnival and is demanding further explanation from Schettino.

In order to save his reputation, Schettino’s camp must act fast. The number of eyewitness accounts which confirm Schettino’s wrongdoings are significant and fatalities continue to mount up. It will be impossible to contain this story as many survivors have already commented negatively on the captain’s behavior. Rumors continue to spread of Schettino refusing the coast guard’s orders to return to his ship. People have deemed him “Captain Coward” and are comparing his efforts to that of famed American hero, Chelsea Sullenberger.

Two weeks after the shipwreck, we are still waiting for a formal statement from Captain Francesco Schettino. What’s your perspective? Do you think communicating his sympathy to the public would be an effective strategy against this whirlwind of bad press and, ahem, his moral obligation?