U.S. Lawsuits Target Carnival in Italy Cruise Crash

Hundreds of passengers from the stricken Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia and up to 1,000 businesses on the island where it ran aground are pressing ahead with lawsuits in the U.S. against Miami-based Carnival Corp., the world’s largest cruise line. The lawsuits contend Carnival is the corporate parent and is ultimately responsible for any violations or negligence that may have led to the deadly Jan. 13 accident. Investigators say the ship rammed a reef while passing too close to an island off Italy’s Tuscan coast, killing 32 people. Carnival contends the Italian Costa line is a separate corporate entity and that lawsuits should be filed only in Italy.