He was in charge of a ship involved in the biggest disaster since the Titanic.14:52, 10 Jul 2026He was at the helm of a vessel involved in the biggest disaster since the Titanic.‌Netflix's newest documentary delves into the terrifying events surrounding the Costa Concordia in 2012. According to its synopsis, the film features never-before-seen footage alongside survivor accounts from those aboard the luxury cruise ship when catastrophe struck.‌Although the ship's captain, Francesco Schettino, played no direct part in the production, the documentary recreates conversations he held with his crew. Images and footage from his subsequent trial are also featured throughout.‌On 13 January 2012, the Costa Concordia struck while sailing close to the island of Giglio as a salute, plunging every passenger on board into their worst nightmare as the ship collided with a rock.Over the following hour, the ship took on water, flooding the engine rooms and cutting all power to the stricken vessel. The ship then began to tilt before partially sinking beneath the waves, reports Wales Online.The captain delayed more than an hour before issuing the order to abandon ship, and crucially failed to provide authorities with accurate information regarding the severity of the situation. Tragically, 32 people from the more than 4,000 passengers and crew on board lost their lives.‌But what became of Captain Francesco Schettino, and where is he today? Here's everything you need to know.What was Captain Francesco Schettino's sentence and when will he be released?Within days of the incident, Schettino was taken into custody and eventually stood trial. The media branded him "Captain Coward" after recordings and footage emerged revealing he had abandoned the bridge, boarded a lifeboat himself and refused to go back.‌This was in direct defiance of orders from a Coastguard commander instructing him to do so. A police officer even claimed to have offered the captain the use of a dinghy to make his return.Footage of this was reportedly shown during his trial. Schettino told the court he had ordered the ship off course to please the vessel's head waiter, whose family hailed from Giglio, as a tribute to a retired ship's captain on the island, and as a spectacle for those on board.Prosecutors further alleged he had steered too close to the island to show off to a dancer who was accompanying him at the helm. Schettino also pointed the finger at communication difficulties with the helmsman, while the new Netflix documentary highlights how crew members misinterpreted the captain's orders at a crucial moment.‌Schettino was ultimately convicted of manslaughter and abandoning ship, and was sentenced in February 2015 to 16 years behind bars.The term consisted of ten years for manslaughter, five years for causing the shipwreck, and one year for abandoning passengers, to be served consecutively. Having exhausted every avenue of appeal and with his conviction upheld, he began his sentence in 2017.Article continues belowHe is currently serving his sentence at Rome's Rebibbia prison. Despite attempts to secure early release and parole, he is not due for full release until 2033, according to Maritime Executive.Shipwrecked: Nightmare At Sea is streaming on Netflix.