The Costa Concordia’s captain was exemplary as a consultant for a French comedy film shot before the cruise ship’s disaster in January, his former employer said recently.

Francesco Schettino is one of nine people under investigation for the tragedy which claimed 32 lives out of the 4,229 passengers and crew on board.

He is accused among other things of causing the shipwreck and then abandoning the vessel before everyone on board had been rescued.

The film Welcome Aboard starring well-known French comic actors was shot on another cruise ship, the Costa Atlantica, which was captained by Mr Schettino at the time. Its release has been delayed because of the tragedy.

Costa Cruises said Mr Schettino had been “rigorous and irreproachable” when he turned down numerous requests from the film-makers to deviate from his route to get better shots, arguing that this could be a safety risk.

The Costa Concordia hit some rocks off the island of Giglio in Tuscany on the night of January 13 just a few hours after leaving the port of Civitavecchia and as passengers were settling down to supper.

The ship was steering close to the shore in a traditional “salute” to the island – a popular practice that has now been curtailed in Italy.