In Context: 5 Web Perspectives On A Story In The News

Death toll from Costa Concordia reaches 16

(CBC News) Divers searching the Costa Concordia found another body in the half-sunken ship. This brings the number of bodies to 16, since the cruise ship crashed Jan. 13 off the coast of Giglio, Italy. 17 passengers and crew members are still unaccounted for, and the ship's captain remains under house arrest. Divers discovered the body during preparations to pump half a million gallons of fuel from the ship's tanks. Fuel removal, debris clean up, and search and rescue will all continue in the coming days.

1.

Costa Concordia Cruise Shipwreck Highlights Threat of Oil Spills

Policy Mic
Cruise holidays are becoming more popular as a vacation choice, but there is very little legislation on the processing and dumping of ships' sewage, waste and oil in international waters. The 500,000 gallons of fuel still in the Costa Concordia's tanks pose a huge threat to the Mediterranean sea. Blogger Stephanie Dreyer, PR rep for a biofuels advocacy firm, says we need to take "internationally-sanctioned precautions" to protect the world's oceans and ecosystems.

2.

How to Survive a Sinking Ship

eHow.com
Aside from information on why a ship sinks and what equipment you should have available if it does, this eHow also gives pointers on what to do if your cruise ship sinks. Most importantly, it says, you should stay calm and alert. Hold handrails and move slowly so you don't slip. Try to avoid objects that could be sliding around; instead, try to stay behind large, secure objects for protection. The captain will let you know when to evacuate, eHow says, and the crew will help you into the lifeboats before they evacuate the ship.

3.

Lifeboat Drill on Royal Carribean

YouTube
Here, vacationers on a Royal Caribbean cruise go through the motions of evacuating from the ship in case of emergency. Each passenger wears his or her life vest and gathers with the other people who have been assigned to the same lifeboat. The signal that sounds is what passengers will be listening for in case there really is a need to abandon ship during their vacation.

4.

Costa Concordia Accident and Commission Review of Safety Legislation

eGovMonitor
The European Parliament Transport Committee was already conducting a review of passenger ship safety rules when the Costa Concordia ran aground on Jan.13. The idea is that legislation should be updated with the latest technologies and information when it comes to designing cruise ships, passenger safety and emergency evacuation procedures. The European Commissioner for Transport has asked that this review take the Costa Concordia tragedy into full account in its new policies.

5.

Protecting Nova Scotia’s Shipwrecks

Archaeology in Nova Scotia
Shipwrecks, says the Nova Scotia Museum, are a resource worth protecting and sharing. They're a way for Nova Scotians to stay connected to their heritage, so amateur divers should leave any "souvenirs" on the ocean floor. Taking anything from a shipwreck site lowers the site's historical and recreational value. And besides, it's illegal to collect artifacts without a permit or for museums to collect illegally retrieved artifacts, no matter how interesting they might be.