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By Silvia Ognibene and Isla Binnie GROSSETO, Italy (Reuters) - The former captain of the Costa Concordia cruise liner was sentenced to 16 years in prison on Wednesday for his role in the 2012 shipwreck, which killed 32 people off the Tuscan holiday island of Giglio. Francesco Schettino was commanding the vessel, a floating hotel as long as three football pitches, when it hit rocks off the island, tearing a hole in its side. Prosecutors had asked for a prison sentence of 26 years for Schettino, who has admitted some responsibility but denied blame for the deaths that occurred during the evacuation. Investigators severely criticised Schettino's handling of the disaster, accusing him of bringing the 290 metre-long (950 feet) vessel too close to shore.More...