Convicted crew members in Costa Concordia manslaughter trial may never serve jail terms

Five people convicted of manslaughter over the Costa Concordia shipwreck off Giglio island are not likely to go to jail and be replaced with community service.

Sentences of under two years are suspended in Italy, while longer sentences may be appealed or replaced with community services.

An Italian court had convicted the five people of manslaughter over the Costa Concordia, which killed 32 people in January 2012.

Two officers, the helmsman, the head of cabin service and the head of the crisis team were given up to two years and 10 months in jail for multiple manslaughter, negligence and shipwreck.

Captain Francesco Schettino is being tried separately and is charged with multiple manslaughter and abandoning the vessel with thousands still aboard, the BBC reports.

Prosecutor Francesco Verusio said that the trial of Captain Schettino was most important.

He has already accepted some degree of responsibility for the disaster, and asked for forgiveness in a television interview last year, as he talked of those who died.

According to the report, the trial is taking place in Grosseto, the city nearest the site of the wreck.