Lakeville woman on Italian cruise ship that capsized last Friday
A Lakeville woman and her sister were among 120 Americans (and 3,000 total passengers) on the cruise ship Costa Concordia when it capsized Friday near Giglio, a tiny island about 18 miles off Italy’s Tuscan coast.
Ronda Rosenthal and sister Vivian Shafer made it to safety, said Ronda’s husband, Jeff Rosenthal. However, five people died in the panic related to the evacuation, according to USA Today, and a White Bear Lake couple were among 15 people missing.
Jeff Rosenthal said he learned via a phone call at 4:30 a.m. that his wife and sister-in-law had survived the accident.
“They made it back to Rome, but are a little shook up,” he said. “They had only what they were wearing — no money or ID. They lost everything.”
He wired them money and they were able to acquire a temporary passport at the United States embassy in Rome, the city where they currently are staying.
The $570 million, five-year-old ship capsized when it struck a rock in shallow water, according to USA Today. The ship’s captain is under criminal investigation. – Aaron Vehling, ThisweekLive
