PORTO SANTO STEFANO, Italy (Reuters) - The captain of the Italian cruise liner that ran aground off Italy was arrested on suspicion of multiple manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship, police said Saturday.

Police said the captain, Francesco Schettino, was taken to a jail in the provincial capital Grosseto to await questioning by a magistrate.

(Reporting By Gavin Jones, Writing by Philip Pullella; Editing by Myra MacDonald)