Stricken liner’s captain to remain under arrest

An Italian court has ruled that Francesco Schettino, the captain of the cruise liner that ran aground and capsized off the island of Giglio, killing at least 17 people, must remain under house arrest.

Schettino was arrested the day after the Jan 13 disaster, accused of manslaughter and abandoning the 114,000-tonne Costa Concordia before all the 4,200 passengers and crew were evacuated.

He admitted to prosecutors that he sailed too close to the island and was released from prison and placed under house arrest on Jan 17.