Although passengers were offered a compensation package of up to 11,000 Euros, six passengers on board the Costa Concordia the day it hit rocks off the coast of Tuscany have filed a US$460 million lawsuit against Costa Cruises.

In the suit filed in a Florida court this week, an American legal team representing the passengers described the €11,000 compensation as ‘insulting’ and stressed the company needs to “be held responsible” for their actions, The Guardian reported.

“They intentionally put the passengers at risk,” A New York personal injury lawyer Mitchell Proner said.

“We believe we can win in Florida and we are going to go forward, forward, forward without fear until they don't know what hit them … sort of like the Concordia."

Working with a New York firm, Napoli Bern Ripka Shkolnik, Mr Proner explained he and a team of international lawyers would represent up to 500 clients affected by the incident.

The case put forth in Florida is seeking up to $10 million in personal damages as well as $450 million in punitive damages on behalf of four Americans, and two Italians.

 Meanwhile earlier this week, Costa Conciere issued a statement advising that passengers who had returned home from the ship wreck would receive up to 11,000 Euros in compensation as well as promised to reimburse passengers the value of the cruise, their air and bus transfers included in the cruise package, travel expenses to reach the port and return home as well as medical expenses and expenses on board the cruise.