Italian news agency ANSA said most of the estimated 4,200 people aboard had been evacuated in lifeboats from the 290-metre Costa Concordia to the nearby island of Giglio.
“We are in a full emergency,” the island’s mayor, Sergio Ortelli, said of preparations to accommodate the rescued passengers.
The news agency said the Genoa-based vessel apparently had struck a shoal off the Punta Gabbianara cape and rolled onto one side.
It quoted rescuers as saying the evacuation became chaotic and several people fell into the water during the scramble for lifeboats.
The 1,500-cabin ship had sailed from the port of Civitavecchia earlier Friday for the start of a Mediterranean cruise when its crew signaled an electrical fault to port authorities.
There were about 1,000 Italian passengers, 500 Germans and 150 French aboard.
Just a couple days ago Sarah was dropping off her daughter to meet her 4 friends at the airport.
Lauren had given her an itinerary for what was supposed to be a 10 day cruise trip across Europe.
"And the first I knew about it was I got a call from Lauren and it was about 6:15 Bowling Green time, because in Italy it was 1:15 am and she said the ship she thought at the time had hit a sandbar and it was sinking..and it was gonna be a total loss," says Sarah Moore.
It was a call that literally rocked the family's world.
"They had literally gotten out with just the clothes on their back, she had her purse so she had a cellphone," says Sarah Moore.
Sarah and her husband watched the t-v in disbelief, "You know on TV, I see the crowds of people and of course I look for her."
Sarah has been able to talk to Lauren briefly.
She says her daughter's cellphone is dying and she's been letting other surviving American passengers use it to call home.
"I did ask her, is the cruise company helping you? She said absolutely not," says Sarah Moore.
According to the Moores the Italian cruise company called Costa Cruises has not been helpful.
"They told me they had emergency crews on site to answer calls between 8 am and 12 noon today, which in my mind it was an emergency all night long, so I did call at 8 'o'clock this morning and was on hold, not even hold, they didn't pick up the phones, I was calling for about 30 minutes. So no, I haven't had any feedback from the cruise line at all," says Sarah Moore.
Fortunately there is good news.
The Moore's have gotten word that their daughter Lauren Moore is supposed to fly into the Louisville airport tomorrow evening.
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