Monday, January 16, 2012

COSTA CONCORDIA: ITALIAN CRUISE SHIP DISASTER

On January 13, 2012, Costa Concordia ran aground on a reef at around 21:30 local time near Isola del Giglio off the coast of Italy. According to the local coastguard, 3,206 passengers and 1,023 crew members were on board at the time.

On January 15 the Italian newspaper, La Repubblica, reported that the captain did not mention any mechanical problems but had stated that they were 300 meters (330 yards) from the rocks (about the length of the vessel) and that they hit a rock that was not marked on nautical charts. According to the local coast guard, the ship has a 50 meter (160 ft) gash on her port side, with a large rock embedded in the ship's hull. The ship is listing on its side and sinking in the water in a bizarre scene reminiscent of the Hollywood film The Poseidon Adventure.

Costa Cruises confirmed that the course taken was "not a defined route for passing Giglio." In a press release dated January 15, Costa Cruises stated: "We are working with investigators to find out precisely what went wrong aboard the Costa Concordia. While the investigation is ongoing, preliminary indications are that there may have been significant human error on the part of the ship’s Master, Captain Francesco Schettino, which resulted in these grave consequences. The route of the vessel appears to have been too close to the shore, and the Captain’s judgment in handling the emergency appears to have not followed standard Costa procedures." Nicastro, the Coast Guard spokesman, insisted that the waters where the ship ran aground were well-mapped. Local fishermen say the island coast of Giglio is known for its rocky sea floor. "Every danger in this area is on the nautical chart," Nicastro said. "This is a place where a lot of people come for diving and sailing. ...All the dangers are known.

Captain Francesco Schettino, who has worked for Costa Cruises for 11 years, and also the ship's first officer, have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and of abandoning ship before passengers were evacuated. They were questioned on 14 January. Officials are trying to determine why the ship did not issue a mayday and why it was navigating so close to the coast. The ship got in contact with the Coast Guard once the evacuation procedures were already ongoing. The crew, officers and staff were totally disorganized with no evacuation or escape route in place to ensure passenger safety thereby resulting in chaos and the death of at least 6 people and 13 still missing as of the writing of this article.

Here are the astrological coordinates for this disaster:

January 13, 2012. 21:30 local time. Giglio, Italy.

What strikes me on first glance is the elemental balance. There is no water in the chart and a preponderance of earth. When there is a total lack of an element it’s as if there has to be a sacrifice to that God; in this case Neptune. How symbolic that this is a disaster at sea caused by running aground upon a rocky reef. Water keeps everything afloat or sinks things to the bottom of the sea. With the Ascendant, Mars and Moon in Virgo; Jupiter in Taurus and Sun, Pluto and Mercury in Capricorn the emphasis on Earth just weighs the chart down sinking the ship before it even has a chance to chart its course.

Mutable angles give the appearance of chaos, schizophrenic behavior, chaos, disorder and hysteria. Things tend to fall apart because of the indecisiveness and duality inherent in the mutable signs.

The Sun forms a T-square with Saturn opposite Jupiter. Before the trip even gets going on it’s journey (Jupiter) the Captain (Sun) who is overly confident of his powers (Sun trine Mars and square Jupiter) is brought down to earth (Saturn). The ship runs aground on a reef and hits a rock that tore a huge gash in her hull.

The Moon and Mars are conjunct the Ascendant representing the attack and danger on the public, in this case the passengers of the ship. The Sun, Pluto and Mercury all trine the Ascendant and if we read Mercury as the Captain of the Ship (ruler of the MC) conjunct Pluto (feelings of power) and the Sun (Ego of the leader) all trine the Ascendant, Moon and Mars then this is a man who felt his powers to be unstoppable. It shows someone who feels so totally in control to the point of hubris without any respect for Mother Nature. There is an overconfidence (trine) to take risks. Saturn square the Sun ensures the leader will have tests and challenges to deal with and a possible price to pay.

The Nodes are exactly conjunct the IC/MC axis and the south node at the top of the chart again emphasizes the weakness of the leadership. The south node is also about loss and the past coming into play. The north node at the bottom of the chart just has an eerie message of being at the bottom of the sea.

There are 3 major planets at critical degrees which are always important for out of control behavior in both people and events. Jupiter, planet of long distance journeys is at 0° Taurus and most importantly is Neptune conjunct Venus in an extremely tight conjunction at 29° Aquarius in the 6th house. This is an idealistic conjunction. It’s about not seeing the details, protocol, organization and order of things clearly. There is a blind quality to all the most important 6th house functions so necessary to running a finely tune machine like a large ocean liner. The Venus/Neptune conjunction trines Saturn and sextiles Jupiter making it easy for the crew (6th house) to be blind and oblivious to the real problems and totally unaware of the correct routine to implement in the case of an emergency. The rulers of this all important 6th house are Saturn and Uranus which inconjunct each other further emphasizing the discomfort, adjustment and the problems with the running and functioning of the plan.

Saturn and Jupiter are both disposited by Venus which is conjunct Neptune at that very important last degree of Aquarius before it’s entry into Pisces the Sign of its rulership and Venus’ exaltation.

With no planets in universal houses (9 thru 12) and the Sun being the focal point of the T-square shooting energy out into the opening of the 11th house there is an overcompensation that heightens the event guaranteeing it is played out on the world stage.

Joseph Addeo
http://www.josephaddeo.com/