Rose Metcalf, then a 23-year-old dancer aboard the Costa Concordia, described the moments leading up to the ship's capsizing on January 13, 2012, as feeling like an "earthquake" followed by a "long sound, like a whale" – the sound of the ship scraping against rocks. The luxury cruise ship, carrying over 4,000 people, later tilted and partially submerged off the Italian coast, resulting in 32 fatalities.
Metcalf, who was on her night off at the time of the impact, was one of the first to realize the severity of the situation. Pulling back a blind in her cabin, she saw the ship was dangerously close to a cliff. While official announcements claimed it was a minor electrical fault and passengers were instructed to return to their cabins, Metcalf changed into warmer clothes, retrieved her life jacket, and headed to her muster station. She recalled being told by a superior officer to return to a lounge to entertain guests, to which she responded, "I quit," and proceeded to her designated emergency gathering point.
Despite initial announcements assuring passengers that everything was under control, the ship began to list. Metcalf described the officer at her muster station as appearing "like a zombie, a ghost" after emerging from the engine room. As confusion and panic spread, Metcalf used someone's phone to message her father, who then alerted the Italian coastguard. She then helped organize approximately 400 crew members into a human chain, allowing them to slide down a corridor to reach lifeboats or debris.
However, as the ship tilted further, the human chain became too high to be effective. Metcalf recounted being "marooned" with only four other individuals, believing at that point that she was going to die. She felt a sense of peace and saw a slideshow of happy memories, but her thoughts turned to her parents, who had already lost two sons. The memory of her father's words, that she and her living brothers had prevented them from taking their own lives, fueled her will to survive.
Drawing on skills taught by her father, Metcalf used a small emergency light she had taken and an earring to connect its ripped wires, creating a flashing signal. This light, visible to the coastguard, guided a helicopter rescue mission. Metcalf and the four others were among the last to be airlifted to safety.
The documentary "Shipwrecked: Nightmare At Sea" also explores the role of the ship's captain, Francesco Schettino, who was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 16 years. The film suggests that Carnival Corporation, the vessel's owner, may have promoted staff too quickly and provided insufficient training, concerns that had been previously raised. The helmsman's incorrect understanding of the captain's order to steer to port also contributed to the disaster.
Metcalf, now 37, has spoken about the long recovery process, including initial sleep disturbances and hyper-vigilance. She found solace in swimming, describing it as the first time she could cry and release the enormity of the event. While she still experiences occasional nightmares about drowning, she now works as a women's business coach, lives in Malibu, and considers January 13th her "second birthday," a testament to her survival and resilience. She stated that the experience has made her feel safer in the world, knowing her own capacity to handle life-or-death crises.