Costa Cruises commander, Captain Pietro Sinisi was awarded with the Bronze Medal of Merit by Marina. The ceremony took place yesterday in Rome, at the General Command of the Port Authority Corps - Coast Guard, in the presence of the Commander General, Chief Inspector Admiral Nicola Carlone. 

The prestigious award was presented to Captain Pietro Sinisi for coming to aid the shipwreck of the Kilic motor ship, on which a fire erupted of such magnitude that it could not be extinguished by the on-board systems. Costa Costa Luminosa Captain Sinisi and it’s crew responded to the call and supported the rescue operations by demonstrating high skills and contributing effectively to the rescue of the 11 crewmen of the Turkish motor ship. Despite the particularly adverse weather and sea conditions, Costa Luminosa was able to maintain the safety of passengers and put in place a timely intervention of the rescue operations. With his actions, Captain Sinisi contributed to the prestige image of the Italian Navy in the institutional framework.

The rescue occurred on November 21, 2018. Around midnight, Costa Luminosa - sailing south of the Peloponnese, heading for the port of Katakolon - received a request for intervention from the Greek Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center. Commander Sinisi was asked to help the motor ship "Kilic", a cargo ship used to transport fresh fish, in serious difficulty due to a fire on board. The crew of eleven men was rescued from a Costa Luminosa tender, led by Safety Officer Marco Genovese, and then transferred to another merchant ship previously involved in operations by the Greek Coast Guard.

"I am extremely honored to receive such a prestigious award, which once again proves the safeguard of human lives is always a priority at sea" - said Captain Pietro Sinisi - "This recognition goes to teamwork, which has been fundamental to complete the rescue operation in those conditions. In certain situations, it is crucial for a captain to make the right decisions in the shortest time possible. But it is even more important to be able to rely upon a solid and competent team, which supports decision-making process and makes it possible to achieve the goal."

Pietro Sinisi, born in Rome in 1972, has been with Costa Cruises since 1995 and became a captain in 2008.