A DOUGLAS dancer who worked on the ill-fated luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia has spoken of her shock at the vessel’s tragic sinking.
Six people have been confirmed dead and 16 people were still unaccounted for as the Examiner when to press yesterday (Monday) after the Costa Concordia cruise ship ran aground off the coast of Tuscany, sending water pouring in through a 160-foot gash in the hull.
More than 4.000 people were on the cruise ship when it got into difficulties on Friday night. Within minutes of hitting a rocky outcrop, the stricken vessel listed dramatically onto its starboard side.
Among them were many friends of Becky Peace, 25, who worked on the ship as a dancer between February and September last year. After sustaining a back injury part way through her contract, she decided to take time out from her dancing career this year and returned to the Isle of Man.
Speaking from her home in Somerset Road in Douglas, she said: ‘I’m just in shock. I’m so glad I wasn’t on there. It still hasn’t sunk in yet. I’ve got a lot of friends on board.’
Becky said she first heard about the tragedy when friends start texting her with the news. ‘I went downstairs and put on the TV and couldn’t believe it. That’s my old home!’
She said that passengers were given lifeboat drill every week. ‘But you never thought you would ever have to use it,’ she said.
Becky said the Costa Concordia did the same cruise every week and she would have sailed past the spot where the vessel grounded many times.
She said she had texted one of her friends who was on board, another dancer called James. ‘He texted back to say he was OK. He said everything was just a mess and they had escaped with nothing, no passports, no belonging.’
UK Foreign Secretary William Hague has confirmed that all the Britons – 23 passengers and 12 crew – were now safe and accounted for.
Several passengers compared the accident to scenes from the the film Titanic.