Costa Concordia Sinking
The captain of the Costa Concordia was ordered by the port authority to return to his sinking ship after abandoning his crew and thousands of suffering passengers, according to transcripts of radio calls and telephone conversations released Tuesday. Captain Francesco Schettino falsified information, stating that most passengers had been evacuated and that he would help lead the emergency operations. Reuters

On Friday night, Italy witnessed one of the worst ship tragedies in living memory as the luxury cruise vessel Costa Concordia hit a submerged rocky reef near the island of Giglio.

But it is said that there has been ill omens ever since Costa Concordia was launched almost six years ago.

The 114,500-tonne luxury ship was launched Sept. 2, 2005. A bottle of champagne hurled against the ship's side, as part of the traditional ritual, failed to break. It was a sign normally considered as bad luck by the seafarers, a Reuters report has said.

Costa Concordia met with an accident for the first time Nov. 22, 2008, when it was trapped in a storm and got damaged while docking on the Port of Palermo, Sicily.

"It was born bad and ended up worse," Reuters has quoted the Italian newspaper Il Giornale saying in its Sunday headline.

Apart from the bad omens from the beginning, the latest tragedy occurred to Costa Concordia on Friday the 13th, which many people consider unlucky. The day has a reputation of being an ominous day by people who believe in superstitions.

People and travel companies who have superstitious beliefs normally avoid adventurous or long distance travel during the 'unlucky' day.

But no scientific studies have so far proved any connection between the occurrence of accidents and Friday the 13th.

Costa Concordia which was built at a cost of £372 million (450 million euros) has 58 suits, five restaurants, 13 bars, five jacuzzis and four swimming pools.

Storm Italy