In his answers to prosecutors, defense attorneys and a judge, the captain of the ill-fated cruise ship Costa Concordia admitted he made a “mistake” in colliding with rocks off the Italian island of Giglio, CNN said. However, in statements made during a phone conversation with a friend earlier this month, Capt. Francesco Schettino said he was pressured by managers to steer the ship to the area where the collision occurred, two Italian newspapers reported Wednesday. Both Costa Cruises and authorities have criticized Schettino’s behavior. He is under house arrest and faces possible charges of manslaughter, shipwreck and abandoning ship in the January 13 incident, when the vessel struck rocks and rolled over onto its side in the waters off the island. A 16th body was found on the ship Tuesday. Sixteen others are still missing.
