[Disclaimer] the following story was reportedly written by the GSM of the Concordia but is unverified as of Monday morning.  If true, it goes against what has been widely reported about the captain jumping ship.  We have to add that the fact that the crew managed to evacuate as many as they did, in as little time as they did, and with as few casualties as there were, is honorable.  Unfortunately when you’re dealing in the cruise industry, one casualty is too many.   

Here is the story by the GSM:

“Unfortunately I don’t have my nametag to photograph, because I lost it at sea, along with my camera! My name is Katia Keyvanian, I am The GSM (Guest Service Manager) embarked on the 13th of January to substitute my colleague on the Concordia. I can write only a few lines, as I have a train to catch to go home! I would love to be invited by Giletti, Mentana, Vinci and all the other journalists, who without knowledge of the facts and who without verifying their sources, only write nonsense! I wish I could respond to the flood of nonsense and lies that have been said! But for now, until I can say more I can only say this;

‘We evacuated 4000 people in the dark, with the ship inclined on it’s side, in less than two hours!  Those who are “incompetent” are not able to do this. It is not true that the captain was first to leave the ship. I was on the last boat and he remained attached to the railing of deck 3, while the ship was sinking.

Shame on you incompetent journalists who wrote that he was the first to leave!  I was on the lifeboat, that was sailing away and about to be crushed by the hoist of the sinking ship, which was about to break through our roof. We pulled a lot of guests into the lifeboat who had ended up in the sea, and as we undressed a girl in wet clothes to cover her with a blanket, a guest filmed us with his phone! Shame on you! We executed a rescue operation at sea, and as we pulled another gentleman out of the water, me with a rope tied around my wrist for more strength to pull him up, another man was taking pictures! Shame on you! we had to manage a flock of sheep in jeopardy and then are told that we were incompetent?! Shame on you! While I was inclined to release people who were pushing and screaming, one by one into the boat, a large man who was obviously a passenger smoked a cigarette.

When I asked “What the fuck are you doing smoking a cigarette in this state, in the dark, with fuel that could come out of the boat?!” and his response was, “I need it for stress. I have one thing more to add, before I miss my train ……… We worked for the guests, to save them, to take them to safety, if they are saved, it is only thanks to us alone, all the crew, who did everything.

We do not want to be thanked, NO, we have only done our duty, but we do not want to hear all the nonsense, lies, and more lies, just to give you the “scoop” of these so called broadcasts.

4000 PEOPLE IN TWO HOURS, IN THE DARK … with the ship tilted, we took them WE, THE STAFF CONCORDIA TO SHORE.

They did not go themselves in buckets and shovels themselves to the shore! We brought them!! I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the residents of Isola del Giglio, the mayor, who came on board, to verify the situation, (not knowing who he was because he did not have a life jacket!) Thank you with all my heart all, al…l the islanders who worked for all of us, with maximum availability, giving us their colorful blankets, some even knitted of crochet, looking for cell phone chargers, and so much more. Thanks to all of them. Now I’m off to catch a train and go home. See you soon. Oh, I forgot …. one more thing I would like to say,

Shame on you!!

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