What would you call a person that is so scared of losing their own life that they will go so far as to risk the lives of others?

What would you call a person that is so scared of losing their own life that they will go so far as to risk the lives of others? I'm trying to think of a word that expresses the meaning of someone who is selfish like that, but I don't want to use the words selfish or self-centered. Writing an essay on the Holocaust; please help!

Solution 1:

Spineless. Lets put it into a sentence .That spineless Captain that sneaked of the Cruise Ship before it capsized got thrown in jail.

Solution 2:

You may need to use a combination of words to adequately explain the depth of meaning you are looking for. Coward, fainthearted, invertebrate, recreant (though this usually means with intent...) are just a few.

Most were so fearful for the lives of their own that they would rather turn a blind eye to the atrocities occurring right in front of them. It's nothing new and still happens with alarming frequency today.