He was very familiar with the thick-walled towers built two hundred years ago by the Spaniards along the Tuscan coast and many other places.

Pianosa is a real island, off the Tuscan coast.

The eastern horizon was jagged with cliffs and hills, black humps and odd shapes that made up this part of the Tuscan coast.

This stretch of Tuscan coast was beautiful, with the big rounded hills becoming morepointed and mountainous as they went further inland.

Some leapt overboard and swam to shore as the ship started to sink into the waters near the island of Giglio, off the Tuscan coast.

There are fears the vessel might slip into deeper water off the Tuscan coast.

Bridgewater (0161 787 8587; www.bridgewatertravel.co.uk) Family-run agency with base in Pietrasanta on Tuscan coast.

It connected Populonia with Rome along the Tuscan coast of Etruria.

Elba is the largest island off the Tuscan coast but is still small enough to explore with ease.

Earlier on Monday, a sixth body was found on the ship, which crashed into rocks off the Tuscan coast on Friday night.