Costa Concordia captain 'delayed' call for rescue operation

The wrecked Costa Concordia's captain, Francesco Schettino, delayed calling rescue services after the luxury liner struck rocks.

A radio operator on board the ship has told a court how Schettino delayed the rescue call.

According to Sky News, Flavio Spadavecchia said he had 'waited and waited' for Schettino to give the order so that he could alert coastguards but it never came, holding up the rescue operation.

Schettino is on trial accused of multiple manslaughter, abandoning his ship while passengers and crew were still onboard and causing a maritime disaster.

Prosecutors claim that by delaying the alert, valuable time was wasted in the disaster which cost 32 people their lives, the report said.

Spadavecchia told the hearing in Grosseto how he had waited for Schettino to order the 'pan pan' message which is used to signify urgency on board a ship but no immediate danger to life or the vessel.

The order to abandon ship was not given until more than an hour after the Costa Concordia had struck rocks, the report added.