Andrea Doria 1956
Reuters reports that Italy is enthralled by the tale of the “two captains,” while on CNN another Italian captain, from another ship and another time, is remembered – In Andrea Doria wreck, a captain who shone.
One is Coast Guard Captain Gregorio De Falco, who furiously ordered the skipper of the Costa Concordia to return to his ship and oversee the rescue operations.
The other is Captain Francesco Schettino – whom newspapers have branded a coward for fleeing in the face of adversity and who is now under house arrest, accused of multiple manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship.
“Listen Schettino, perhaps you have saved yourself from the sea but I will make you look very bad. I will make you pay for this. Go on board (Expletive!)” De Falco yelled at Schettino during a 4-minute radio exchange made public on Tuesday.
The imperative phrase in Italian — “Vada a bordo, cazzo!” — was already on T-shirts by Wednesday morning.
When considering the events on the Costa Concordia, it is worth remembering a third Italian captain, Piero Calamai of the ill-fated passenger liner, Andrea Doria. He was recalled yesterday in an article on CNN by Samuel Pecota, an associate professor in the Department of Marine Transportation at the California Maritime Academy and faculty captain of the Training Ship Golden Bear. Captain Calamai made serious errors of judgement and navigation that contributed to the collision between the Italian luxury liner and the MS Stockholm off Nantucket in 1956. Nevertheless, when it was clear the ship was sinking, Captain Calamai did everything possible to save his passengers and crew.
In Andrea Doria wreck, a captain who shone
After satisfying himself that all passengers and crew had been properly evacuated, Calamai had determined to go down with his ship and atone for his mistakes, but his officers talked him out of following the Andrea Doria to her grave. Nevertheless, he made certain he was the last person off the ship.
Calamai was destined never to command another vessel and died a broken man in 1972. While his navigation of the Andrea Doria before the collision was judged after the fact to be woefully deficient and unseamanlike in many respects, his handling of the abandon-ship operations was nothing short of exemplary.
Calamai remains a tragic but eminently respectable figure in maritime history. He understood his supreme responsibility to the passengers and crew of his vessel and faithfully performed his duty to ensure their safety after the collision, which in his heart he knew was largely his fault. A lesser man might have folded under the pressure or ignored his obligations and let instincts of self-preservation disgracefully overwhelm him.
Thanks to Anne Maclachlan for pointing out the article.
I think the 3rd captain in this story should have been the one that Schettino was saluting by coming so close to the island. There could be another story about the vast difference between Schettino and Calamai.
“Captain” Schettino has an equally qualified captain to keep him company……..that being the cowardly “captain.” Yiannis Avranas of the Greek cruise ship M/V “Oceanus” on August 6th 1991 off the West coast of Africa. He was one of the first that left the foundering vessel in a gale and heavy seas after an engine explosion (may have been a crankcase explosion) had damaged the hull.
When questioned about his conduct he was predictabley defensive and answered that once he had ordered abandon ship it didn’t matter what time he left ship!!!! Nice to know that you can rely on the captain and the crew
(who had also left the vessel) in a crisis!!
Despite this all of the571 persons aboard the “Oceanus” were saved.
The Doria Captain was a true “macho.” He did his duty. He was not totally responsible for the sinking of the Andrea Doria. The skipper of the Stockholm was perhaps equally responsible. The Concorda Captain is a real pussy, He is not the honorable person the Andrea Doria captain was. The Andrea Doria Captain deserves honorable respect. The Concordia Captain deserves dishonor and contempt. Incompetent coward!.
Captain Calamai was how we all wish we would be in in such horrific adversity, in the middle of the ocean. God rest his hero soul. It’s a tragedy how he was delt with.On the other hand, Schettino needs a good beating, and then placing in the public stocks. Chubby little coward!
Captain Calamai sent his officers off in descending order, following protocol to the very end. After they were safely in the lifeboat he bid them goodbye and fully intended to go down whit his beloved Andrea Doria. He had been onboard since before she was fully fitted out, his cabin being finished out early so he could be there. His officers had to make him come down to the lifeboat. He could not watch as she sank. Brave & honorable man, indeed.
I just came across this comparison and the points made about Captain Piero Calamai and the master of the Costa Concordia, Franceso Schettino. Hindsight and a careful review of the record shows the contemporary inquiry conducted into the Andrea Doria’s sinking was more of a witch hunt for a fall guy than an impartial review. Not only was Calamai’s stewardhip of the Doria’a evacuation near heroic (how many crews have conducted so orderly an escape), but his navigation as the Stockholm bore upon his ship out of the fog to put the rudder hard over left were the correct collision avoidance maneuvers and the only thing possible to save the ship from a colision. Too bad the Stockholm was moving so fast. The predominant fault in this tragic collision was not that of the Andrea Doria at all, but the off course and impurudent operation of the Stockholm at a high rate of speed in the fog. As for captains, Calamai was treated incredibly shabbily compared to his performance and Schettino isn’t fit to lick his boots.