The Costa Concordia cruise ship captain has admitted he was showing off and wanted to ‘kill three birds with one stone” as he gave evidence in court for the first time about the 2012 shipwreck off an Italian island that killed 32 people.

A Moldovan dancer who was on the bridge when the Costa Concordia cruise ship crashed into a reef near Italy, killing 32 people, has testified at the captain’s manslaughter trial that the two were lovers.

The Italian court trying the captain of the Costa Concordia heard grim details about how the 32 victims of the shipwreck drowned, some after diving or falling into the sea from the capsized cruise liner when lifeboats were no longer accessible.

The Moldovan dancer involved in the Costa Concordia disaster has told Italian investigators that she was “in love” with the captain, as it emerged her lingerie was found in his cabin.

A young Moldovan woman who says she was called to the bridge of the stricken Costa Concordia to help evacuate Russian passengers, defended its embattled captain, saying he worked tirelessly and "saved over 3,000 lives".