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Cruise ship with Swiss passengers hits rocks

A cruise ship carrying more than 4,000 people, including 69 Swiss passengers, has run aground off the coast of Italy.

At least three people are confirmed dead and about 40 others injured after the boat hit rocks on Friday evening 500 metres off the island of Giglio in the Mediterranean sea.

Officials say most people reached the land by lifeboats while others swam to shore. However, not all passengers have yet been accounted for.

It is not clear whether there are any Swiss victims. The Swiss foreign ministry said it was in contact with the Italian coast guard authorities and the shipping company.

The Costa Concordia was on a cruise from Civitavecchia near Rome to Marseille with stops at ports in Sicily, Sardinia and Spain.

Most passengers were Italian, German and French citizens.

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SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR