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Concordia Captain Faces 'Tsunami Of Evidence'

The captain of the Costa Concordia is facing a "tsunami of evidence" as his manslaughter trial draws to a close, prosecutors have said.

They claim Francesco Schettino’s delay in evacuating the ship was the sole reason for the 32 deaths on the stricken cruise ship.

He faces multiple manslaughter charges after the vessel smashed into a reef while sailing too close to the Italian island of Giglio on 13 January 2012.

Prosecutor Alessandro Leopizzi told an Italian court there would have been time for all 4,300 people to safely leave the ship had Schettino quickly ordered an evacuation.

"Against Schettino there is a tsunami of evidence," said co-prosecutor Stefano Pizza.

"It is easier for a lawyer to fly than to defend Schettino."

But the 54-year-old claims equipment failures complicated the situation on the sinking vessel and he held off calling the evacuation because he wanted to avoid people panicking and jumping into the sea.

His lawyers say Schettino had calculated that tide and wind conditions would carry the listing ship closer to the shore, making evacuation safer.

The Italian says the reef was not on nautical charts and claims sailing close to Giglio to impress passengers was encouraged by the ship's owner, Costa Crociere Spa.

He also disputes claims he abandoned ship half an hour before the alarm was finally sounded, saying he fell off as a result of it tilting.

The 290-metre Concordia took several hours to completely list onto its side, by which time some of the lifeboats could not be lowered.

Some passengers made the 50-metre swim to shore, but some drowned inside and outside the ship.

Helicopters plucked survivors off the stranded vessel while Schettino - dubbed Captain Coward by some newspapers - was already safely ashore.

A salvage operation costing hundreds of millions of pounds refloated and towed the ship away from Giglio in July 2014.

Schettino faces up to 26 years in jail if he is found guilty.