Costa Concordia captain set to stand trial alone for disaster in which 32 people were killed

Francesco Schettino, who captained the Costa Concordia when it capsized off the Italian coast in January last year killing 32 people, looks set to stand trial alone for the disaster.

Prosecutors in the Tuscan town of Grosseto have turned down his lawyers’ plea bargain of a jail term of three years and four months as punishment for his role in the disaster.

But the other five accused – four crew and Costa Cruises’ marine operations manager - have had their plea bargains accepted, Italian newspapers reported.

Mr Schettino is accused of multiple manslaughter, abandoning ship before the passengers, and causing an environmental disaster.