Survivors from a luxury cruise ship that ran aground and tipped over, leaving at least three dead and 69 people still unaccounted for, today described a chaotic evacuation, as plates and glasses crashed and they crawled along upended hallways trying to reach safety.

An Irish couple have been rescued from a cruise ship that ran aground off the Tuscan coast in Italy.

At least three people have died after a luxury cruise ship ran aground off the coast of Tuscany, sending water pouring in through a 160ft gash in the hull and forcing the evacuation of some 4,200 people from the listing vessel.