Disaster as cruise ship runs aground in Italy - BBC Breakfast coverage - January 14, 2012

Three people are confirmed dead after a cruise ship carrying more than 4000 people ran aground off Italy. The Costa Concordia hit a sandbar on Friday evening near the island of Giglio and listed about 20 degrees, after which people tried to reach land in lifeboats or by swimming. Rescue teams have been going from cabin to cabin, searching for survivors. Italians, Germans, French and British were among the 3200 passengers. There were also 1000 crew on board. Helicopters evacuated the last 50 people on the deck who were in a "worsening" situation. Three people were confirmed dead, Italian coast guard officials said on Saturday morning - fewer than the six or eight deaths reported by Italian media earlier. The Costa Concordia had sailed earlier on Friday from Civitavecchia port near Rome for a Mediterranean cruise, due to dock in Marseille after calling at ports in Sicily, Sardinia and Spain. One thousand passengers were Italian, with 500 Germans and 160 French. www.bbc.co.uk www.bbc.co.uk BBC © 2012