Canadians were on stricken Italian luxury liner
Published on Saturday, 14 January 2012 18:15 | | 
| 
| Hits: 295
| | Hits: 295
OTTAWA — There were an unknown number of Canadians, including a couple celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary, on board the luxury cruise ship that ran aground off the coast of Italy on Friday night.The Costa Concordia ran aground off the tiny island of Giglio near the coast of Tuscany, tearing a 50-metre gash in its hull and sending in a rush of water. Three people have been confirmed dead and 70 others are unaccounted for.The Department of Foreign Affairs is expected to issue a statement on the fate of the Canadian passengers.Alan and Laurie Willits from Wingham, Ont., who were celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary, said they were watching the magic show in the ship's main theatre when they felt an initial lurch, as if from a severe steering manoeuvre, followed a few seconds later by a "shudder" that tipped trash cans over.The subsequent listing of the ship made the theatre curtains seem like they were standing on their side."And then the magician disappeared," Laurie Willits said, saying the magician left the stage and panicked audience members fled for their cabins as well.Once at their life boat station, crew members directed passengers to go upstairs from the fourth floor deck; Alan Willits said he refused."I said 'no this isn't right.' And I came out and I argued 'When you get this boat stabilized, I'll go up to the fifth floor then,' " he said. Eventually, his lifeboat was lowered down.Back home, the couple's children said their parents were tired and shaken, but otherwise fine and recuperating in a hotel in Rome.Jory Willits, 20, said her parents had been on many cruises and Friday's experience, while harrowing, isn't likely to deter them from booking another trip."My dad's an adventurist and last night... I said, 'Just look at it like an adventure because you can't do anything about it,' " she said.She said her parents mentioned meeting at least one other Canadian on board, a man from Toronto.The ship carried some 4,200 people, including a crew of 1,000.On Saturday, the ship was lying virtually flat off Gigio's coast, its starboard side submerged in the water and the huge gash showing clearly on its upturned hull.The Costa Concordia was sailing on a cruise across the Mediterranean Sea, starting from Civitavecchia with scheduled calls to Savona, Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Cagliari and Palermo.
