70 passengers plan to sue Costa cruise owner

More than 70 passengers from the Costa Concordia luxury liner which sank off the coast of Italy have joined a class action suit against the owner, consumer rights association Codacons said Tuesday.

"Over 70 passengers who were on board the ship have joined the class action suit initiated by our association," Codacons head Carlo Rienzi said in a statement.

"Our objective is to get each passenger at least 10,000 euros compensation for material damage and also for... the fear suffered, the holidays ruined and the serious risks endured," he said.

The legal action will have to be judged admissible by a magistrate in a procedure which could take "some months", according to the co-head of the consumer rights association, Marco Ramadori.

Ramadori said he was "fairly confident" that the action would be allowed.

The Costa Concordia was carrying more than 4,200 people when it ran aground on Friday shortly after starting a seven-day Mediterranean, leaving at least six dead and 29 missing.

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