The search for up to 40 people missing from the capsized cruise liner Costa Concordia is resuming with the first wave of Britons caught up in the drama expected to land back on UK soil.
Italian police have launched a probe into the maritime disaster that has left at least three dead, and are reportedly holding the luxury ship's captain and first officer on suspicion of manslaughter.
Teams of divers are set to continue their hunt for survivors who may be trapped in the submerged half of the ship, buoyed by the news that a man and woman were located alive inside the Italian-owned liner. A team of firefighters successfully rescued the South Korean newlyweds, who were reported to be in a cabin two decks above the water line of the Mediterranean, before they were rushed to hospital for checks.
The liner got into trouble on Friday evening after apparently sailing off course and striking rocks a few hundred metres from the tiny Tuscan holiday island of Giglio. The impact ripped a 150ft gash in its hull, before the vessel began to list to the right and keel over as it took on water.
A massive coastguard evacuation and rescue operation was launched, but despite the panic among passengers the vast majority of more than 4,200 people on board made it to safety.
Some opted to jump into the sea and swim to shore, while others boarded lifeboats or were airlifted from the vessel by coastguard, navy and air force helicopters. Survivors took refuge in schools, hotels, and a church on the tiny island.
British consular staff were sent to the scene of the disaster, which struck in the centenary year of the sinking of the Titanic, to help the 37 Britons aboard the Concordia - 25 passengers and 12 crew members. The ship's owner Costa Cruises said all were accounted for but the Foreign Office was unable to confirm this.
Investigators do not yet know what caused the liner to crash, but Italy's state television claimed the ship's captain, Master Francesco Schettino, and his first officer were being quizzed over the events. Unconfirmed reports indicated they were being held on suspicion of "abandoning ship" and "multiple manslaughter". Those confirmed dead were said to be two French passengers and one Peruvian crew member.
The alarm was raised about three hours after the Concordia had begun its voyage from the port of Civitavecchia, en route to its first port of call, Savona, in north-western Italy. Passengers revealed how there was a power black-out and large "boom" noise at around 10.30pm on Friday.
Malcolm Latarche, editor of global shipping magazine IHS Fairplay Solutions, said the reports could indicate the ship suffered an engine room explosion. The expert said a power surge could have caused a malfunction in the generators feeding the ship's six diesel electric engines which was not overcome by back-up systems. This would have caused the ship to lose navigational power and steering control and veer off course, he said.