A night crossing between Naples and Palermo turned violent when two groups of young passengers clashed near the ship's disco, throwing tables, chairs and other furnishings. Thirteen people aged between 18 and 20 were later reported by Palermo's maritime border police for aggravated brawl.
The passengers involved are described in the reports as young people from Salento and Sicily. According to the accounts, the confrontation began after an unwelcome remark directed at a Sicilian girl.
What reportedly happened on board
The reports place the start of the confrontation near the onboard disco during the night voyage. From there, the fight reportedly moved through corridors and toward the elevator area.
During the altercation, tables, chairs and other furnishings were allegedly used as weapons. One young man was reportedly struck in the head and lost consciousness. Reports also say he was kicked while on the ground.
The injured youth underwent medical checks. According to the reports, doctors excluded serious consequences.
PalermoToday identifies the ship as the Costa Smeralda. That name does not appear in the primary Il Mattino report and comes from the independent PalermoToday account.
How the 13 passengers were identified
Police reconstructed the incident using the ship's surveillance-camera footage. The footage was used to follow the confrontation as it moved from the disco area into corridors and elevators, and to identify all 13 participants.
Those reported are aged 18 to 20. They face allegations of aggravated brawl.
The exact wording of the remark that allegedly triggered the fight has not been reported. The individual roles and specific conduct attributed to each of the 13 remain for judicial authorities to establish.
What is established — and what is not
What the three corroborating reports agree on is the core sequence: a remark near the disco, a fight between the two groups involving furniture, an unconscious youth, medical checks, and identification of 13 young passengers through video footage after arrival in Palermo.
What remains unresolved is who did what during the brawl. The available accounts describe a police reconstruction and allegations, not final judicial findings.
