The former Costa Concordia captain is set to appear in a Rome court today to request provisional release. Francesco Schettino, has served 13 years of a 16-year sentence for his role in the 2012 shipwreck that killed 32 people off the coast of Giglio, Italy.

On the night of the disaster, the Costa Concordia carrying over 4,000 people, struck a reef after Schettino ordered the ship close to shore to “salute” locals. The impact tore a 53-meter gash in the hull, causing a massive power outage and rapid flooding. The ship eventually capsized. Schettino delayed the distress call and abandoned the ship while leaving passengers and crew onboard who were rescuing people in distress.

He was arrested the next day and, after a high-profile 19-month trial, was convicted of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck, and abandoning passengers. His sentence included a 16-year prison term and a five-year ban from commanding ships.

Now Schettino is eligible to apply for early release. He receives 45 days of temporary leave per year and has worked within the prison system. If approved, Schettino could serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.