Costa Crociere has issued a statement regarding a story uncovered and reported by the Italian TV program Striscia la Notizia about an Italian woman who allegedly suffered a miscarriage caused when the Costa Concordia ran aground. Costa has announced that it intends to file a complaint with the legal authorities and that it will take similar action in response to any similar scams or attempts at profiteering in the wake of the Concordia tragedy.

The company has confirmed that neither the woman nor her husband was on the Costa Concordia's guest list on Jan. 13.

During the editions broadcast on Feb. 14, 15 and 16, Striscia la Notizia discussed the case of the couple with their lawyer, according to Costa. The couple and their lawyer have reportedly appeared on various TV programs and their story has also received substantial coverage on websites, in newspapers and in agency press releases both in Italy and abroad. Through their lawyer the couple asked Costa Crociere for 1 million euros in damages. The woman was purportedly five months' pregnant when she went on the cruise and lost her baby several days after escaping the stranded ship off the coast of the island of Giglio.

“Striscia la Notizia” investigated the claims and discovered that the whole story was in fact made up: the couple were using false identities and neither of them had been on board the Concordia on the day of the shipwreck.