A British mother did not think disaster could strike twice until the cruise ship her daughter was working on was cast adrift just weeks after her son survived the capsizing of the Costa Concordia.

The Italian operator of the Costa Concordia has today accused the ship's jailed captain, Francesco Schettino, of causing ship to run aground, saying he made an "unapproved, unauthorised manoeuvre'' to divert the vessel from its programmed course.