ROME, May 12 (Xinhua) -- The Italian highest court on Friday upheld the 16-year sentence to captain of the Costa Concordia cruise liner that hit a reef in January 2012 with death toll of 32 lives and hundreds injured.
The captain, Francesco Schettino, was expected to be put in Jail after losing chance of final appeals as the Court of Cassation, the highest criminal tribunal, upheld the lower court convictions and the 16-year sentence to him in a ruling.
Schettino was accused of manslaughter and causing the shipwreck while conducting the boat sailing near Giglio Island off Tuscany. He was also convicted of abandoning the capsizing liner with some 4,000 passengers and crew on board.
According to local media, one of the lawyers representing the victims, Michelina Suriano, said "finally Schettino begins to pay for his wrongdoing."
The tragedy happened on January 13, 2012.
