The captain of cruise liner Costa Concordia which was shipwrecked off the coast of Italy earlier this year has arrived at a court in Italy to hear evidence against him.
Passengers who survived the collision off the Tuscan coast on January 13th last, in which 32 people were killed, are also attending.
Francesco Schettino used a back entrance to slip into a theatre in Grosseto which is serving as a courtroom.
More than 1,000 survivors, victims’ relatives and their lawyers are attending a closed-door hearing to discuss the evidence against Mr Schettino and eight other defendants.
Wearing dark glasses, Mr Schettino made no comment as he arrived.
Hearings this week will help decide whether a judge will order a trial for Mr Schettino, who is charged with manslaughter, causing the shipwreck and abandoning ship while passengers and crew were still aboard.
He denies the charges.
AP