A cruise ship that ran aground off the coast of a small Italian island lies sideways in the water as divers try to determine whether any survivors remain inside. The biggest maritime disaster in recent memory has raised many questions about whether the ship's captain shirked his responsibilities and whether it's possible to safely evacuate today's massive cruise liners. According to early analysis, the Costa Concordia veered off course Friday night, sailing too close to the small island of Giglio, just off Italy's coast. It hit a reef, which ripped a gash in its side and caused it to take on water. Now, the massive, 4,000-person luxury liner has become a landmark in the water, and environmentalists are worried about the impact it could have on the reef and the protected animal and plant life around it. Now, the investigation is focused on the ship's captain, Francesco Schettino, who coast guard officials say left the ship well before everyone had evacuated. Ship's captains are required to stay on the ship until the last person is off. Quotes "You get on board. That's an order. You need to continue the rescue. You ordered an evacuation. Now I am in charge. You need to get on board the ship. Is that clear? There are already bodies, Schettino. Move." - Italian Coast Guard official Warm Up Questions 1. What are some ways people travel? How do you travel between points in your everyday life? When you're on vacation? 2. What are some risks associated with each method of travel? 3. Have you ever been on a cruise? What was it like? Discussion Questions 1. Why is the ship's captain responsible for coordinating the evacuation? According to the video, can he get in trouble if it's proven he didn't stay to help? 2. Why would building larger cruise ships be good for cruise companies? What are some potential dangers associated with building extremely large ships? 3. How could cruise ship companies make sure everyone knew how to evacuate in case of an emergency? What would need to happen for everyone to evacuate safely? Additional Resources Video Transcript Ash Cloud From Icelandic Volcano Disrupts Global Trade Download this Video