Romantic Fiction Online

Social networking for romance readers

EXCLUSIVE: Titanic author speaks out about Costa Concordia tragedy

British author Leah Fleming has given an exclusive interview in which she says every death from the Costa Concordia tragedy was "needless and tragic." Leah Fleming's new novel The Captain's Daughter, published in hardback yesterday, is set on the Titanic whose sinking one hundred years ago has been compared to what happened last Friday in the Med. Leah agrees there are parallels between the two disasters. Having read many Titanic survivors accounts during her research for her book Leah Fleming immediately noticed the similarities as the news unfolded; "The shock and disbelief, the flight or frozen responses,... not knowing how to get out and the struggle to find a lifeboat."

"I was horrified," Leah continued. "Because of the Titanic's loss many safety rules improved. The Costa Concordia had plenty of lifeboats, well stocked and easy to drop down, but even here many were caught by the ship's listing. Titanic sank in two hours mid ocean because of design faults and the wrong steering instructions and there were no rescue boats on hand until too late. At least the response from Giglio was rapid and saved lives. Titanic had a 2500 on board but only 700 survived. Here we have 4000 and probably only around 30 deaths but every one of those was needless and tragic."

It is the 100th anniversary of the Titanic sinking this year. Leah explains that she used to pass the captain's statue in Lichfield. Taking inspiration from witness accounts about his actions, in her fictional story the captain is responsible for saving the life of a child. "Many real people have walk on parts in my novel," Leah explained. "I hope I have explored the emotional depths of surviving such a tragedy." In fact Leah once worked as a crisis counsellor in the NHS and dealt with aftermath of major incidents like the bombing of Manchester. "I know these feelings can take years to resolve, if ever."

Leah's opinion of the actions of the captain of the stricken Costa Concordia is very different. "I think what will emerge is some careless arrogance, breaking of rules and then gross misconduct through panic by the captain who should be last off his ship. If there were no proper reheasals, confusion arises."

Tags: concordia, costa, cruise, fleming, leah, liner, ship, sinking, titanic

0 members like this

Add a Comment

You need to be a member of Romantic Fiction Online to add comments!

Join Romantic Fiction Online

Comment by Liv Thomas on January 25, 2012 at 19:05: We spent two days in a force 10-12 gale and it was terrifying. We were only in a small -16000ton - ship and I was convinced we were going to sink. God knows what it must be like to be in a hurricane!

Comment by Pamela Strange on January 25, 2012 at 18:57: We enjoy cruising and have been out in a hurricane -hove too for three days -with decks roped off -whilst a million pounds worth of damage was done to the boat. It was P & O who's captain took off from Southampton not realising how bad the weather would get - we didn't get any compensation but I think they saved a lot of money on food. -But it didn't put us off. We will go again you always think it won't happen to you..

Comment by Anne Cater on January 20, 2012 at 20:11: Thank you for this article, it's very interesting.

My (then) boyfriend and I set out for Dover late one night, we were going to France for a long weekend. We got the early morning ferry, and bought a newspaper on board - we then saw the headlines about the Herald of Free Enterprise. There I was, half way across the Channel!

It hasn't put me off ships/boats, but I always remember that day when I board.

My heart goes out to the victims' families.

Comment by Kate Allan on January 20, 2012 at 18:45: I remember the Herald of Free Enterprise very well. I'd got up early that morning - must have been a Saturday - to catch one of my favourite programmes of the time, Dogtanian and the Three Muskerhounds, and instead found myself watching the live unfolding news. Shocking to watch at that age - at any age. I knew it was serious enough that all the children's programming had been cancelled for the news, but the reality of it didn't hit me until later.

I was wondering if this would put people off cruising. It wouldn't put me off ships. I love the sea, there is something magical about being on the ocean, even if it can be frightening sometimes.

Comment by Francine Howarth on January 20, 2012 at 11:29: So tragic, but not so unusual. This incident reminded me of the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster. That too was shocking and far more left dead and lost. I can remember feeling sick to the pit of my stomach when this happened.

1987: Hundreds trapped as car ferry capsizes

Forty-nine people have been confirmed dead - and dozens are missing - after a car ferry capsized just outside the Belgian port of Zeebrugge.

Rescuers say more than 400 people have been brought out of the ship alive. Many have been taken to hospitals in Bruges and Blankenburg suffering from cuts and bruises, hypothermia and shock.

Divers are still searching the upturned hull of the Herald of Free Enterprise for air pockets in which passengers may have survived. But hope is fading of finding anyone alive.