Captain Chicken Shit

[dgs49]

The bottom line here is that this guy did something careless and it turned into a tragedy.

As Captain of the ship, he had an obligation to take reasonable measures to get as many people off the ship as possible, as quickly and efficiently as possible. He had no obligation to "go down with the ship," and he probably left the ship when he considered that he personally was in mortal danger. Later events show that he was not, but that's just hindsight. Few people in the world have ever been on an ocean liner that was in such peril, and who can say what anyone else would have done in these circumstances?

Anyone who has been on a few cruises knows that on the first day they do a drill to let everyone on board know what to do in case of an "abandon ship" order. Some ship crews take this more seriously than others. This particular crew seems to have had a dearth of heroism, and an abundance of the self-preservation instinct, and in the quasi-military world of the sea, the Captain is probably responsible for those shortcomings, at least to some extent. But there is no drill that covers what to do when a ship is listing 45 degrees or more in either direction. The lifeboats and their rigging are not designed for that situation.

The captain is doing his best to save himself now (and looking somewhat foolish in the process), but much of the criticism is based on facts that he could not have known in real time.

The idea that he should have gone back on board a ship that was sitting on its side and flooding is absurd.

I am frequently reminded by events and circumstances that as a younger man I did many foolish things (esp. behind the wheel of a car or a motorcycle) that could easily have resulted in a catastrophe, killing myself and several others. But none of those catastrophes occurred - not because I was an especially good driver, but because I was lucky. Captain Schettino was both foolish and unlucky - a lethal combination if ever there was one.

[dales]

No, he is NOT "foolish and unlucky".

He is a gawdammed COWARD!

[BoSoxGal]

It WAS Friday the 13th - he should have known better!

[Joe Guy]

It WAS Friday the 13th - he should have known better!

And it happened right after a black catfish had crossed his path.

[BoSoxGal]

Old World Catholics tend to hold to the Friday the 13th superstitions - DeMolay and all. Check it out.

[Lord Jim]

This particular crew seems to have had a dearth of heroism, and an abundance of the self-preservation instinct,

Well Dave, I have to give you credit...

That's certainly the most...uh...diplomatic way I've seen their behavior characterized....

I might have said, " a dearth of sense of responsibility and an abundance of yellow stripes running down their backs", but then I'm not very diplomatic.....

he probably left the ship when he considered that he personally was in mortal danger.

You know, I really don't doubt that....

The thing is though, that lilly-livered yellow bellies tend to have a pretty low threshold for when they consider themselves to be "in mortal danger".....

With the combination of arrogance, incompetence, cowardice, and self-absorption that COTS exhibited, the unfortunate passengers might as well have had this guy as their captain:

[BoSoxGal]

In all fairness, it actually sounds like some of the crew 'mutinied' by beginning to put passengers in lifeboats and to evacuate the ship some time prior to the Captain's actual abandon ship order.

[Lord Jim]

That's true, BSG, some of the crew did distinguish themselves by rising to the occasion in the complete absence of leadership from the top...

Like the Chief Steward who I understand started the evacuations....

Of course things are in a pretty sorry state of affairs when the head Bell Boy has to take charge....

[loCAtek]

It sounds to me like his 'lady guest', to put her politely, had a lot to do with his reckless bravado beforehand and later distraction during the emergency.