The Costa Concordia disaster remains one of the most notorious maritime tragedies since the Titanic, and its captain, Francesco Schettino, continues to serve a lengthy prison sentence. As Netflix's documentary Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea draws renewed attention to the 2012 catastrophe, many viewers are wondering where Schettino is now.
What Happened on 13 January 2012?
On the night of 13 January 2012, the Costa Concordia luxury cruise ship struck a rock near Giglio Island off the coast of Italy. The vessel carried more than 4,000 passengers and crew, who were plunged into chaos as the ship began taking on water and listing heavily. The disaster claimed 32 lives.
Captain Francesco Schettino was widely condemned for his actions during the emergency. He delayed over an hour before ordering passengers to abandon ship and provided inaccurate information to authorities. Footage later emerged showing that Schettino had left the bridge and boarded a lifeboat himself, earning him the media moniker 'Captain Coward'.
Why Did Schettino Steer So Close to the Island?
During his trial, Schettino claimed he had ordered the ship off course to please the vessel's head waiter, whose family came from Giglio. However, prosecutors alleged that he steered too close to the island to show off to a dancer who was with him on the bridge at the time.
What Was Schettino's Sentence?
In February 2015, Schettino was convicted of manslaughter and abandoning ship. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison, broken down as ten years for manslaughter, five years for causing the shipwreck, and one year for abandoning passengers, to be served consecutively. After exhausting all appeals and with his conviction upheld, he began serving his sentence in 2017 at Rome's Rebibbia prison.
When Will Schettino Be Released?
According to Maritime Executive, Schettino is not due for full release until 2033. He has been behind bars since 2017 and has served approximately nine years as of 2026. The Netflix documentary Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea features never-before-seen footage and survivor accounts, reigniting public interest in the case and the captain's fate.
