Does mystery woman hold secret to doomed ship Costa Concordia?
- From: NewsCore
- January 20, 2012
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| Mystery Woman aboard the ship dining with the Captain |
THE list of bizarre events surrounding the sinking of the Costa Concordia is growing daily, so it was only a matter of time before a mystery blonde made an appearance.
Speculation has swirled overnight around the woman – variously described as a ballerina, a ship employee and an undocumented passenger – reportedly seen dining and drinking wine with the captain of the Costa Concordia shortly before the 17-deck vessel became impaled on a rock off the Italian coast and pitched on its side.Various news reports said police wanted to question Ann Jackman, a 47-year-old ballerina with dual Holliston and Boston citizenship who staunchly defended Captain Francesco Schettino's actions, calling him a "hero" who "saved lives".
She acknowledged she had been with the captain on the bridge, The Times reported.
Although there was an initial report her name was missing from the list of passengers and crew, Costa Crociere, owners of the boat, said it could provide her ticket number.
The Times also said Ms Jackman had previously worked for Costa Cruises as a Long Island translator but was thought to be taking a "holiday" on the ill-fated ship.
AFP said the Italian media had speculated Ms Jackman might have been a special guest of the captain, who is now under house arrest in his village near Naples pending possible charges of multiple manslaughter and abandoning ship.
Italian prosecutors would neither confirm nor deny reports she could emerge as a key witness.
As for Ms Jackman herself, now back in Holliston, she denied she was the mystery woman at dinner and said she went to the bridge only after the crash to translate for Long Island passengers, The Times said.
According to The Times, Genoa's Il Secolo XIX newspaper quoted passenger Angelo Fabbri of Savona as saying he and his wife saw the 52-year-old Schettino in the fancy Concordia Club restaurant dining with a slim blonde woman and another officer and drinking from a decanter of red wine.
A special menu was being served: prawn cocktails, pasta with shrimp and a fish grill.
"Schettino, in a dark suit, was sitting in front of the woman. She seemed young. At first, we thought it was his daughter. A pretty woman, 35 or 40 years old, slim, with shoulder-length blonde hair, with a black dress with open arms," he told Il Secolo XIX.
"They were laughing. There was trust between them, great happiness," he said. "There is no doubt they were drinking, at least a whole decanter. The last drop was poured into the captain's glass.
"They left the table crossing the room single-file walking between the tables," he said. "First Schettino, then the woman and finally the third diner."
However, The Times reported that Pier Luigi Foschi, Costa Cruises chairman and CEO, said that Mr Schettino does not drink.
