Italy declares state of emergency as liquid leaks from stricken vessel

Italy has declared a state of emergency after liquid was seen leaking from a shipwrecked cruise liner in the Mediterranean.

Earlier, the owners of the Costa Concordia blamed the captain for the disaster, saying he made an "unapproved, unauthorised" deviation in course.

Six people died when the Concordia ran into rocks off Italy's Tuscan coast on Friday. Sixteen others are missing.

Costa Crociere chairman and chief executive Pier Luigi Foschi said Costa ships have their routes programmed, and alarms go off when they deviate.

"This route was put in correctly," he said. "The fact that it left from this course is due solely to a manoevre by the commander that was unapproved, unauthorized and unknown to Costa."