So with the cruise ship costa concordia running aground and array of stories and reports, I happend to hear one of the reasons why it all happen.

"Prosecutors believe the captain may have deliberately ordered the 1,500-cabin liner to sail close to the island of Giglio to sound a three-horn salute in what locals call an “inchino,” or reverent bow, to the inhabitants.
Its decks illuminated, the Costa Concordia has previously sailed close to the picturesque island and sounded its foghorn in tribute.
The “showboating” was meant to be a treat for the passengers on the first night of their cruise, and a treat for the islanders too.
This time the apparently harmless greeting ended in disaster, as the liner foundered on a reef just 1,000ft offshore.
Mr Foschi said that the course that the captain had decided to take was “his own initiative, contrary to the written rules” of the company.
He said that Costa ships have their routes programmed, and alarms go off when they deviate.
“This route was put in correctly. The fact that it left from this course is due solely to a manoeuvre by the commander that was unapproved, unauthorised and unknown to Costa,” he said.
Sergio Ortelli, the mayor of Giglio, told The Times that, based on briefings he had attended, he believed Captain Schettino had been planning a three-horn salute to Giglio when he crashed."

I guess only now we just wait to find out the true reason's behind it all.  Just a shame that poor preparation from one company & their crew will eventually make our working lives sooo much harder!