A frantic Coast Guard officer berated the captain of the capsized Costa Concordia as he sat safe in a life raft, refusing to return to his ship and direct the evacuation order.

"You go on board! Is that clear? Do you hear me?" the Coast Guard officer shouted at Capt. Francesco Schettino.

"It is an order. Don't make any more excuses. You have declared 'Abandon ship.' Now I am in charge."

A damning recording of Coast Guard Capt. Gregorio De Falco shouting at Schettino to return to the ship was posted online Tuesday by Italian newspaper Corriere della Serra. The Coast Guard authenticated the recording.

In the radio exchange, Schettino can be heard repeatedly refusing to return to the sinking vessel from a lifeboat to help co-ordinate the frantic evacuation.

"I am here with the rescue boats. I am here. I am not going anywhere. I am here," he said. "I am here to co-ordinate the rescue."

"What are you co-ordinating there? Go on board! Coordinate the rescue from aboard the ship. Are you refusing?" came the response from De Falco.

"You go on board and then you will tell me how many people there are. Is that clear?" De Falco shouted in the audio tape.