The death toll from the wreck of an Italian cruise liner rose to six on Monday as another body was found, Italy's ANSA news agency said.

Sixteen people from the Costa Concordia liner are now missing, and a mayor on the Tuscan island of Isola del Giglio where the vessel hit rocks Friday night said the chances of them being found were "getting fainter."

The latest body is believed to be that of an Italian, rescue services said. So far, the bodies of two French, a Peruvian, a Spaniard and two Italians had been found.

The captain of the ship has come under fire for allegedly raising the alarm too late to get the passengers off the ship safely.

Captain made unapproved course change

The CEO and president of Costa Cruises, the owner of the cruise liner that ran aground off Italy killing at least six people, said the captain made an "unauthorized" deviation in course.

The president of the Genoa-based company operating the ship Costa Concordia, Pierluigi Foschi, told a press conference at the company headquarters that "a human error cannot be denied".

Chinese tourists safe

All Chinese tourists on board the stricken cruise liner Costa Concordia have been accounted for and are receiving help, Rome embassy officials told China Daily on Sunday. The Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong also confirmed that all the Chinese passengers were safe.

2 more bodies found on capsized ship

Three survivors and two more dead bodies were pulled from the partially submerged wreck of a cruiseliner off the Italian coast, while a search continued though thousands of cabins for 15 people still missing.

A view shows the Costa Concordia cruise ship that ran aground off the west coast of Italy, at Giglio island Jan 15, 2012. [Photo/Agencies]

At least three people killed

At least three people were killed and rescuers were looking for other victims on Saturday after a large Italian cruise ship carrying more than 4,000 people ran aground overnight, took on water and tipped over.

A cruise ship that ran aground is seen off the west coast of Italy at Giglio island January 14, 2012. A large Italian cruise ship carrying more than 4,000 people ran aground on a sandbar off the west coast of Italy overnight, and rescue workers were quoted on Saturday as saying at least three people had been killed in the incident. [Photo/Agencies]

Captain into custody

The captain of the cruise ship ran aground off the Italian west coast, Francesco Schettino, was taken into custody, the ANSA news agency said on Saturday.

The captain, who has denied any wrongdoing, is being questioned by local authorities. He claimed "the rock the ship impacted with was not marked in the nautical char," according to local media.

Cruise ship came dangerously close to shore

The captain of the Italian cruise ship which ran aground late on Friday appears to have taken the vessel very close to the shore in a dangerous manner, officials said on Saturday.

"There was a dangerous close approach which very probably caused the accident, although it will be for the investigation to establish that fully," coast guard spokesman Luciano Nicastro told SkyTG24.

He said the captain then attempted a safety manoeuvre, setting anchor and bringing the ship closer to the shore to facilitate a rescue.

Firefighters reach two alive

Firefighters have reached two people alive on the stricken Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia, the Italian news agency Ansa reported on Sunday.

The firefighters had made voice contact with the couple earlier and found them in a cabin.