Dozens missing from stricken Italian cruise ship

Dozens of people are still unaccounted for after a Mediterranean cruise ship ran aground off the west coast of Italy.

Divers are searching the submerged decks of the Costa Concordia and coastguards are scouring the waters for survivors.

Reports say the three people confirmed dead are two French tourists and a Peruvian crew member.

The authorities are stressing that the number of missing has continued to come down as people’s whereabouts becomes known.

Survivors described the scene as the ship hit the rocks.

“It was total panic, you can imagine, total panic. It reminded me of the Titanic”, said one woman.

Others focused on who might be to blame, one man pointing out that the ship was cruising only 150 metres from the coast.

A local coastguard and the ship’s owners said it was too early to say what had gone wrong.

The authorities have thanked the islanders of Giglio for their generosity after they took care of passengers. Many among more than 4,000 people on board had come ashore in lifeboats; some jumped into the cold water to escape the listing ship.

Most of the passengers are believed to be Italian. Dozens of Britons are said to have been on board and British consular officials have been sent to the area.

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