Rome (CNN) -- Italian judges released the captain of the wrecked Costa Concordia cruise liner from house arrest Thursday, but ordered him not to leave his home town while the case against him continues, his lawyer said. 

Francesco Schettino has been under house arrest in his home town of Meta di Sorrento, near Naples, since January 17. 

At least 30 people died when the cruise liner struck rocks and turned on its side off the Italian island of Giglio on January 13. 

Schettino faces allegations of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck, abandoning ship, failing to report an accident to the coast guard and destroying a natural habitat, a prosecutor said this year. Giglio is a protected park. 

Schettino's lawyer, Bruno Leporatti, had argued for the lifting of the restrictions on his client, saying his behavior had been "faultless." 

The judge leading the preliminary investigations, Valeria Montesarchio, said it would be easy to keep Schettino under "adequate supervision" in Meta di Sorrento without house arrest because it is a small town, according to court documents released Thursday. 

In addition, the months Schettino has spent under house arrest have already produced a "deterrent effect," Montesarchio said. 

Concordia disaster focuses attention on how cruise industry operates 

The judge also lifted a provision barring Schettino from communicating with anyone apart from his lawyers and family. 

From the beginning, Leporatti said, the attitude of the captain had been "totally collaborative, he has spoken on his defense but admitting his responsibilities, without trying to download them on others." 
Where he had to stay?
house arrest