Lawyer for shipwreck survivors pushes for changes to tighten cruise industry standards The USA Times

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Thursday, May 24, 2012

Lawyer for shipwreck survivors pushes for changes to tighten cruise industry standards

(AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)

ROME - A U.S. lawyer representing 70 survivors of the Costa Concordia capsizing says he will push for changes in maritime regulations and laws to make the cruise ship industry safer.

John Eaves, Jr., says in about two weeks he will file suits against Miami-based Carnival Corp., the parent company of Costa Crociere, SpA., the Italian cruise line whose ship rammed a reef off a Tuscan island on Jan. 13 and capsized. At least 17 people were killed, and 15 remain unaccounted for.

Eaves said in an interview Wednesday with The AP in Rome that he will lobby politicians and international maritime authorities to "change the way the cruise industry does business" to avoid a repeat of the tragedy.