Costa Concordia

Costa Concordia, The South Korean couple were rescued from the Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia early on Sunday

Three survivors have been found on the stricken cruise ship Costa Concordia, more than 24 hours after it ran aground off the Italian coast.

Rescuers have extricated a crew member, hours after a honeymooning South Korean couple were rescued.

Three people are so far confirmed dead and about 40 are unaccounted for.

The captain of the Costa Concordia has been arrested on suspicion of multiple homicide. Prosecutors say he left the ship before evacuation was complete.

First officer Ciro Ambrosio has also been detained.

The ship’s operator, Costa Crociere, said the vessel had been following its regular course when it hit a submerged rock.

In a TV interview, ship’s captain Francesco Schettino said the rock was not marked on any maritime charts.

Police are investigating why the accident happened in calm conditions.

Divers

The South Korean couple were located after rescuers heard voices from a cabin two decks down on the half-submerged ship late on Saturday. They were reached a few hours later.

The couple, both 29 years old, were both in good health when they were brought ashore.

A third survivor has now been located and has been airlifted from the wreck. Officials say he is a senior Italian member of the crew. They believe he has a serious injury to his leg.

Two French passengers and a Peruvian crew member died, and another 30 people were injured, two seriously.

Divers are continuing to search the ship, which is lying on its side near the Tuscan island of Giglio.

Costa Concordia Cruise Line

Costa Concordia Cruise Line, Divers searched the submerged part of a luxury cruise liner that went aground off Italy’s coast in case any of 70 people unaccounted for might be trapped inside, a coast guard official said Saturday, as passengers described a delayed and terrifying evacuation.

Three bodies were recovered from the sea after the Costa Concordia ran aground off the tiny island of Giglio near the coast of Tuscany late Friday, tearing a 160-foot (50-meter) gash in its hull and sending in a rush of water.

One of the victims was a Peruvian crew member, a diplomat from the South American country said, adding that a Peruvian woman was also missing. The ANSA new agency identified the other two fatalities as French passengers, but didn’t cite a source.

Passengers described a scene reminiscent of “Titanic”, saying they escaped the ship by crawling along upended hallways, desperately trying to reach safety as the lights went out and plates and glasses crashed. Helicopters whisked some survivors to safety, others were rescued by private boats in the area, and witnesses said some people jumped from the ship into the dark, cold sea.

The ship was lying virtually flat off Giglio’s coast, its starboard side submerged in the water and the huge gash showing clearly on its upturned hull.

Passengers complained the crew failed to give instructions on how to evacuate and once the emergency became clear, delayed lowering the lifeboats until the ship was listing too heavily for many of them to be released.

Carnival Corp., which owns the cruise line that the ship belongs to, didn’t address the allegations in a statement it issued.