The judges of the Court of Grosseto, after nearly eight hours in closed session, sentenced the former captain of the cruise ship Costa Concordia Francesco Schettino to 16 years in prison. The panel of judges had found him guilty of manslaughter and abandoning ship. The Court did not, however, accept the aggravating circumstance of the sinking negligent nor the aggravating circumstance of conscious guilt for multiple murders culpable. The judges also recognized the continuity between the alleged offenses, as requested by the defense of the accused and instead ruled by the prosecution, which had asked for 26 years and 3 months and the immediate stop to the fear of a flight abroad. 

Schettino Crust and Cruise were ordered jointly and severally to compensate the plaintiffs, including the Prime Minister's Office, some ministries, the Civil Defence, the Tuscany Region and the municipality of Isola del Giglio. Former commander must also pay all legal costs incurred in the various stages of the investigation and judicial process by the civil parties.

Schettino had released this morning in the courtroom of the spontaneous statements in court that brought him to tears and that had been an indictment against Côte: "From January 13 I have also died – he said-. Were used phrases detrimental against my dignity even in this courtroom, to substantiate the image of a man worthy of condemnation. For 3 years I finished a media meat grinder hard to understand, combined with the pain for what happened. After the sinking my head was offered with the mistaken belief to save economic interests. My life is not. Policies aimed at my personal isolation conveyed by the media have altered the facts, offering an image of my person does not correspond to the truth. Yesterday I went out to do an injection antibiotic that has allowed me to be here today, have reported anger towards pm. Meanwhile, the company transfers threat to download further responsibility. It all falls on me. After this incident have changed the safety regulations on ships. It is not true that I have not taken my responsibilities. It is not true that I have not apologized. The pain is not to be performed to exploit it, why not palesavo. I have had to share intimate moments, but I preferred to share my pain, my house, with some survivors and relatives of the victims. "