Costa Concordia passengers sue Carnival

Six passengers of the Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia, which ran aground off the coast if Italy two weeks ago, are suing Carnival Cruise Lines, demanding compensation totaling $460 million (Dh1.68bn).

Carnival is the parent company of Costa Cruise Lines, which owns Costa Concordia.

Attorney Marc Bern, who represents the plaintiffs, said the lawsuit had been filed in a Miami, Florida, court on Friday, alleging wanton recklessness on the part of the ship operator.

The Costa Concordia had 4,229 people aboard including about 1,000 personnel when it ran aground near Giglio, a picturesque island off Tuscany that is part of a nature reserve known to swimmers and divers for its clear waters.

The official toll from the disaster stands at 16 dead, of whom 14 have been identified, and another 16 missing.

Since the disaster, several consumer associations have announced their intention to bring a class action against Costa Cruise Lines.

On Friday, negotiators announced in Italy that some 3,000 survivors of the ship wreck will receive 11,000 euros ($14,400) each plus expenses as compensation.

Bern said the suit had been filed despite the cruise line's offer to pay passengers who have returned home more than $14,000 each -- and predicted more legal action in the future.

"Over the next two weeks there will be more lawsuits filed in Miami," he told AFP.

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