Five Costa Concordia employees convicted for deadly shipwreck

An Italian court has accepted plea bargains for five suspects in the deadly Costa Concordia shipwreck that killed 32 people in January 2012, while controversial captain Francesco Schettino remains on trial. 

The Grosseto court convicted all five suspects of multiple manslaughter and negligence, with a sentence of two years and ten months doled out to Costa Crociere crisis coordinator Roberto Ferranini, writes USA Today.

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Cabin services manager Manrico Giampedroni was given the second longest sentence, with two and a half years for his crimes. 

All the sentences were between 18 and 34 months, and it's unlikely that any will see the inside of a jail cell, as shorter sentences were suspended and the longer sentences may be replaced with community service or appealed, writes Reuters. 

"What will the families of the victims think? This is truly disappointing," said Daniele Bocciolini, a lawyer for the victims, according to Reuters. 

The 52-year-old Schettino remains on trial this week and has been charged with manslaughter and of abandoning the ship before all passengers had been rescued, earning him an unpopular reputation in Italy.

He appears to be attempting to secure a plea bargain, writes the Independent, which would see him serve three years and five months.

The odds of the bargain being accepted appear to be distinctly remote, the newspaper added, as prosecutors have already rejected a similar deal.