Photograph: Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty Images

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Up to five people have been reported dead and another 15 said to be missing after Cost Cruises’ Costa Concordia was forced to abandon ship after the ship began to flood over the weekend.

In a statement from Costa Cruises’ parent company Carnival Corporation, the company confirmed that the ship carrying up to 3,200 passengers and 1,000 crew members on 13 January at 10.00pm CET, was forced to evacuate the ship and deploy lifeboats after the vessel struck a rock off the coast of Isola del Giglio, Italy.

Although expected to land at Paleroma, Italy seven days after sail-away, the liner has since recruited the Italian Coast Guard and local authorities to assist with a search and rescue.

Early this morning three survivors were found more than 24 hours after the ship had sunk while emergency teams also located the bodies of two elderly men trapped in the flooded third floor meeting area, BBC reported.

A passenger, Luciano Castro told media that he was casually dining when suddenly there was a “loud noise... as if the keel of the ship hit something”.

"The ship started taking in water through the hole and began tilting," he explained.

Carnival Corporation said it would continue its efforts to support guests and crew as well as work towards understanding “the cause of what occurred”.

“This is a terrible tragedy and we are deeply saddened,” the company said in a statement.

“Carnival Corporation & plc offers our sympathies and heartfelt condolences to all of the Costa Concordia guests, crew members and their families. 

“Carnival Corporation & plc and Costa Cruises are committing our full resources to provide assistance and ensure that all guests and crew are looked after.”

Costa Cruises said in an updated statement today that it had retrieved the ship’s DVR or otherwise known as ‘black box’ and is awaiting appropriate permission from authorities before accessing information stored.

Meanwhile reports have escalated that the ship’s captain, Francesco Schettino is being help by local authorities for being suspected of manslaughter after passengers claimed the captain abandoned ship before guests were safe.

A French military officer on board told the Associated Press that they saw the captain on board a lifeboat, covering himself with a blanket before all passengers had left the boat.

"The commander left before and was on the dock before everyone was off," the officer said.

Police officer Du Pays added that "normally the commander should only leave at the end”.

Carnival said that the captain “made errors of judgement that have grave consequences” while Costa Cruises described the captain's actions as "significant human error".

Friends and family can contact Costa Cruises on the number below:

Italy   848505050

U.S. 800-462-6782

Austria     00438109006565

Germany +4940570121314

France +33155475554

Spain   +34934875685

Portugal   +34914185951

UK 08453510552

Competitor cruise lines have also reached out to family and friends of missing guests with Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises posting on Costa Concordia’s Facebook page that it was “saddened by the news” and sent “heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the guests, crew members and families affected”.