Captain Approved to Board Costa Concordia With Experts

An Italian court has agreed to let the captain of the Costa Concordia go aboard the shipwreck for the first time since it capsized two years ago as part of a new court-ordered search.

Consumer groups and lawyers for Capt. Francesco Schettino asked the court in Grosseto to authorize the searches to determine if any factors beyond human error contributed to the disaster. After searching the bridge and elevators last month, experts will examine the emergency generators Thursday.

The court agreed Tuesday to let Schettino go aboard. Judge Giovanni Puliatti stressed that Schettino would be there to help, not ask questions.

The Concordia slammed into a reef off the Tuscan island of Giglio on Jan. 13, 2012 and capsized, killing 32. Schettino is on trial for manslaughter and other charges.