FLORENCE — The defense attorney for the former Captain of the Costa Concordia, Francesco Schettino, has presented an appeal to the Court of Appeal of Florence against the judgement of the Grosseto court that sentenced Schettino to 16 years for the wreckage and the deaths on the Giglio Island. 

  “Despite the great efforts made by the first judges,” said the lawyer, Saverio Senese, "there are still grave errors, and I am convinced that the judgement is wrong. I am asking for absolution.”

  The Costa Concordia capsized and sank, after striking an underwater rock, just off Isola del Giglio on January 13 2012. 32 lives were lost in the accident. 

  At the time of impact, the ship was carrying 4,252 people and was on the first part of its cruise around the Mediterranean Sea. It deviated from route and came closer to the Isola del Giglio than expected, hitting a rock on the sea floor in the process. It was only after an hour of drifting that Schettino ordered an evacuation. 

 In February, after a trial of more than eighteen months, Schettino was found guilty of manslaughter of the 32 passengers who died in the wreckage. He was sentenced to 16 years - ten years for manslaughter, five years for causing the wreckage, one year for abandoning the passengers and one month for providing false information to port authorities.