T-shirts with Costa Concordia harbour master's 'get back on board damn it' order big hit in Italy

London, Jan 21 (ANI): An Italian coast guard official who repeatedly ordered the Costa Concordia captain to get back on the sinking vessel, has been hailed as a national hero with his "get back on board damn it!" order being printed on T-shits and selling online across the country.

T-shirts with the phrase in Italian 'Vada a Bordo, Cazzo' (Get on board, damn it) were being snapped up for 12 pounds after an enterprising online clothing store advertised them on the web, The Daily Mail reports.

An audio recording, that emerged last week, reflected the chaos and confusion in the minutes after the Costa Concordia, carrying over 4,000 passengers and crew, hit a rock off the Tuscany coast and keeled over.

The recording revealed that captain Francesco Schettino made repeated excuses as Harbour master Gregorio De Falco ordered him to get back on the vessel.

Headlines in Italian newspapers roared 'De Falco Idol' and 'Thank you Captain' as De Falco tried to play down the infamous four minute recording berating Schettino.

Captain Schettino was accused of refusing to get back to the sinking boat packed with thousands of frightened passengers and crew.

He had been jailed for investigation of manslaughter, abandoning ship and causing a shipwreck, and could face up to 12 years in prison on the abandoning ship charge alone. (ANI)