More than 4,000 people have been
evacuated after the cruise ship Costa Concordia ran aground off Italy,
with at least six reported dead.
The vessel hit a sandbar on Friday evening near the island of Giglio, and listed about 20 degrees.
People tried to reach land in lifeboats, or by swimming.
Cabin steward Deodato Ordona, says there was a roaring sound, before the ship began to tilt.
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BBC News - Italy's Costa Concordia: 'People started to panic'
At least six people are reported to have died after a cruise ship ran aground off the coast of Tuscany in Italy.
Coastguards were forced to evacuate more than 4,000 passengers and crew from the Costa Concordia, near to the Isola del Giglio.
The
ship had sailed earlier on Friday from Civitavecchia port near Rome for
a Mediterranean cruise. Passengers were eating dinner, when they heard a
loud bang.
Cruise ship shop worker Fabio Costa described scenes of chaos as ''people started to panic''.
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