You would not believe it!!!!

[John Arton]

This is true
An Italian university have invited Captain Schettino of Costa Concordia fame to give a lecture on "Crisis Management in an Emergency". Perhaps they should have invited him to lecture on "How to cause a disaster and get away as soon as possible", or,
"Entertaining females can lead to unheard of problems" or even "Blame and how to shift it"
rgds
JA

[john sutton]

I had heard of this.Apparently the main attendees were the Italian army

[Captain Kong]

Good one John.
Cheers
Brian

[John Pruden]

I did read the article in the news the other day I thought it was a wind up? if he ever gets another ship he would walk the decks dragging his own life raft behind him. the man broke under pressure may be some would but pressure goes with the job not pleasure I think we have all had our backs against the wall at sometime be he just thought of himself while his passengers and crew perished that is unforgivable ?jp

[j.sabourn]

Chances are he will get a standing ovation. Makes one wonder. The next thing will be a movie, might even take the leading role himself, has the dashing latin charm no doubt. If the actual verdict isnt in yet, how the heck can he give lectures on the accident. Reminds me of him who wrote a book on the PA within the first couple of months. Saw the opportunity and went for it, never mind the truth and the findings of the court. Cheers JS

[Ivan Cloherty]

Perhaps the University has an hidden agenda and hopes that its students will pull the veritable captain to pieces during question time, I hope this is the case.

[j.sabourn]

Nomis Limited
shipowners
MAIL: 44 VICTORIA STREET, ABERDEEN AB1 1XA. TEL: (0224) 637819 TLX: 739486 FAX: 630436
8th July 1988.
Captain John Sabourn & Crew.
M.V.Silver Pit.
Dear /. U~ / £kv\n behalf of the Chairman and Board of Directors of Nomis Ltd., I would like to
take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks and appreciation for the
magnificent job that you did following the Piper Alpha disaster.
Word cannot express, fully, just how proud we are , to think that you carried
on with your duties in the face of such terrible dangers and that you were able
to save over half of the total number of survivors.
I have had messages of congratulations for you all from Occidental, the Department
of Transport, an associated company in Norway and from some of the other standby
operators. I have also been told that many of the survivors have been telling the
News Media that they owe their lives to 'the crew of the Silver Pit'.
Once again, can I convey our most sincere thanks and appreciation for conducting
such a marvellous rescue mission.
Yours sincerely,
Frank M.R.Deans.
Registered address: 44 Victoria Street, Aberdeen-—(Reg. No 79929/SCOTLAND)
Directors: Jan Terwig (Chairman), F, M. R. Deans (Managing), M.A Liverton, A. M. Lawrie The above letter is the only thing I walked away with from the Piper Alpha disaster in 1988. No monies for extra leave taken and was back at sea again within 2 weeks with different owners, 3 of the crew coming with me, 2 others never went back to sea again. There were 167 men lost their lives that night, something that will always live with us. How someone can go and give lectures beats me, his own conscience should not let him. Saying that however someone wrote a book within a month or so about the rescue procedures as probably saw the monetary gains to be had, have never read fully on principle, How the master of the passenger vessel is allowed to give lectures before a verdict amazes me, the same as the book writer and his book of fiction apparently. In my case as far as I know the owners never came near the Enquiry, and only latterly showed any amazement when I handed my notice in, which they tried to refuse offering more money. A bit late in the day. If that Capt. Schettino gets away with it, I shall be extremely surprised and amazed at what the shipping industry is coming to. Cheers John S

[Doc Vernon]

JA
The heading sounds like it was posted by Victor Meldrew! LOL
Sorry couldn't resist!
Cheers

[j.sabourn]

Simon,
The enclosed is copies of what has recently been sent to a Stephen
McGinty (investigative Reporter) and Paul Berriff ( Bafta Documentary maker).
Steve contacted me as got my address from a reporter who had tracked me
down in 2008 ( 20th. Anniversary of Piper A ) Previously I had refused to talk to
any of the domestic newspapers as had very strict ideas on the value of
printing sensational, and what they consider news, as could see no
justification on giving further grief to the hundreds of those either related or
associates of those lost.
Steve McGinty was telling me that he was having trouble tracing any of the
Survivors or rescuers from that night, and was hoping I would appear on their
full length Documentary they were hoping to make for the 25th. Anniversary.
This I have my doubts about as will surely revive old wounds and most
probably much controversy. However as I had recently made out what
happened that night (as regards myself) which was to put in a bottom drawer
for any family in the future wanting to know, I thought seriously about this and
decided I would let him have, which I have now done. This is more or less
what is in the envelope.
As you are now in the Safety Industry ( can not think of any better
words for it) they may be of some value to you, but have my doubts about this
also.
Having been on ships all my working life, and seen the Industry you are
now in, which to me seems to advance after every major catastrophe, I was
dubious and still am of the advantages of giving it such a high profile, as I
have a friend also in the same line of work, who I sailed with years ago, and
seeing the work he does, I am of the opinion in a lot of areas that it is over
done In many cases. To give an example, on Merchant Ships now a Safety
Inspector can board a vessel and ask to see the proposed route courses etc.
of the intended voyage, in my time I would have chased him, and to even have
the effrontery to check ones professional abilities is akin to murder. Taking
that a step further WHY does this not apply to vessels like Greenpeace who
are probably not correctly manned and break every law at sea imagineable or
is this just Government diplomacy, I cringe whenever I see some of the antics
they get up to and nothing done to them.
As said previously it took a long time before I would ever speak about the
Piper Alpha, even to my wife, and she has only in the past few months read the
contents of the envelope. Nothing however can really describe the horror of
that night, and shows how fragile humans are.
Cheers John Saboum 6.10.11.
P.S. This is the last copy I have, can you let me have back when finished. J.S. When John Arton opened this post, I was incensed at the idea that a man responsible for the loss of his own ship, and others lives, would have the effrontery to advertise and make money from the fact. It brought back my own feelings on such a subject, although not the same situation it brought back parallel actions taken by some to gain benefits from. A person on this site asked me a couple of tears ago about a book which was mentioned and written immediately after the disaster I was involved in. Although a survivor himself he was one of the very early ones and transferred by boat. He also was giving lectures in Australia. I was informally asked if I would consider to do so, and let me say the fee was in the region of 10,000 dollars. My immediate response was negative, I dont think those men who died a horrific death should be discussed by a bunch of non seafarers and their memories should remain inviolate, my feelings on those who do seek monetary gain, I have a very low esteem for. The only way I can convey this is by putting on here correspondence I have had with various people over the years, I am just sorry that the seaman who asked me a couple of years ago and who was enquiring about this early book and so called facts, and just died last year, that I was not a bit more forthcoming with him. This post is only to try and emphasize that truth and honesty does not always win the day as it should. Cheers JS

[happy daze john in oz]

If he gets banged up, and there is every chance he will then how can he do the lectures from his cell.
Bugger, silly me this is Italy we are speaking of, course he will get tiem out to do it.