UK government praises Italian rescue services following Concordia tragedy
UK foreign office minister Jeremy Browne and transport minister Mike Penning have jointly paid tribute to the Italian emergency service for their "prompt and professional" response to the sinking of the Costa Concordia.
And they revealed they had offered the Italian Government any assistance it might find useful in responding to the accident, which has claimed at least 16 lives.
"In particular, we have made available the considerable maritime expertise available in our Maritime & Coastguard Agency and Marine Accident Investigation Branch," they added.
Updating Parliament on the Government’s response to the tragedy, they said a Rapid Deployment Team was sent from London immediately the ship crashed to establish that all 12 British crew members and 23 UK passengers were safe.
By painstakingly cross-checking information on missing persons with that received from port authorities, the cruise company and local hospitals and hotels, the foreign secretary William Hague was able to announce within 36 hours that all 35 British nationals had been accounted for.
The teams ensured that those British nationals who wanted to leave Italy were able to do so, even those who had lost passports, money and other valuables on the ship, they said.
Teams were deployed to the airport, as well as local hotels where British nationals were staying, to facilitate their return to the UK.
The ministers also expressed "profound sympathy" for the families and friends of those who had died or were still missing.
By Linsey McNeill
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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