Costa Concordia Captain Found Guilty: Where Is Francesco Schettino Now?
Updated August 5, 2026
Netflix’s 2026 documentary Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea is now streaming. The film renewed interest in the Costa Concordia disaster and the criminal case against Francesco Schettino. Viewers can now see survivor and crew interviews, passenger footage and translated black box recordings to revisit the decisions that led to the collision and the delayed evacuation.
The captain of the Costa Concordia cruise ship, then 54-year-old Francesco Schettino, was found guilty of causing the deaths of 32 people when he guided the ship onto rocks in January 2012 off the Italian island of Giglio in Tuscany.
Schettino was convicted of multiple counts of manslaughter, causing the shipwreck and abandoning ship. The 19-month trial ended when he was sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Schettino’s lawyers had asked for an acquittal on all charges. The captain had claimed, in his defense, that the reef which grounded the Costa Concordia did not appear on his charts. He also blamed his crew for the collision, saying that he ordered the ship to sail close to the island because the ship’s head waiter’s family was from Giglio and to salute a retired ship’s captain on the island. In addition, he thought it would be nice for the 3,000 passengers to enjoy the nighttime view of Giglio close up.
The Costa Concordia Disaster and Its Legal Aftermath
The Costa Concordia disaster and its legal aftermath
Schettino also claimed that he fell off the ship by accident into a lifeboat as it tilted, and had not deliberately abandoned ship. He then went on to make a tearful plea to the judges for leniency.
However, prosecutors contended that the reason the people died was because the captain had not ordered an evacuation of the ship promptly. They also pointed out that he had left the sinking ship while passengers and crew were still on board and that the incident occurred as he had recklessly steered the cruise liner onto the rocks with 4,200 people on board. They asked for a sentence of 26 years in jail.
Where is Francesco Schettino now?
Italy’s highest court confirmed Schettino’s 16-year sentence in May 2017(opens in new tab). He then surrendered to authorities and began serving his sentence at Rebibbia Prison in Rome. All of his appeals in the Italian courts have been exhausted.
In January 2025, Schettino requested semi-liberty, a form of day release that can allow a prisoner to leave prison for approved work or education. He later withdrew the request in April 2025(opens in new tab) after encountering problems obtaining a suitable work placement. As of August 2026, he remains in prison.
Five other Costa Crociere employees who were indicted in the case entered plea agreements, but none served prison time.
Costa Crociere, the operator of the ship, paid a €1 million corporate fine. Schettino and the company were also ordered to pay compensation, and Costa reached separate settlements with passengers and families.
How the Costa Concordia disaster changed cruise ship safety
Following the disaster, the International Maritime Organization(opens in new tab) adopted a rule requiring newly embarked passengers to take part in safety drills before or immediately upon departure. The rule took effect on January 1, 2015; the previous international standard allowed the drill to take place within 24 hours after embarkation.
The IMO also recommended steps addressing bridge access, harmonized bridge navigation procedures, voyage planning when a ship deviates from its planned route and the placement of additional life jackets near muster stations.
Our founding attorney, Jack Hickey, represented many of the victims of the Costa Concordia. He has fought for the rights and for compensation of cruise passengers for over 20 years. Before that, Hickey represented cruise lines. We know the tactics business of the cruise lines and the systems of the ships. We also know how cruise lines handle claims. They fight to demean the value of the claim and then file motions in court asking the court to dismiss the claims. We fight back and prevent that. To schedule a meeting with a member of our legal team today, call today or fill out our contact form. Initial consultations are free, and qualifying cases are handled on a contingency-fee basis.
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Attorney John H. (Jack) Hickey and his team handle a wide range of cases, including but not limited to cruise ship accidents, admiralty and maritime accident cases, medical malpractice, wrongful death, premises liability, railroad accidents and car accidents. We represent victims from all over the nation, the world and the state of Florida.