Costa Concordia successfully refloated

Officials say operation in Giglio has proceeded without a hitch in preparation for cruise liner being towed away

theguardian.com, Agencies in Giglio, Monday 14 July 2014

The Costa Concordia after it was refloated off the island of Giglio in Italy.
Photograph: Alessandro La Rocca/AP

The shipwrecked Costa Concordia has been successfully refloated in preparation for towing it away for scrapping.

Authorities expressed satisfaction that the operation to float the Concordia from an underwater platform had proceeded without a hitch early on Monday. The cruise liner struck a reef in January 2012 and capsized, killing 32 people.

Air was pumped slowly into 30 tanks or "sponsons" attached to both sides of the 290-metre, 114,500-tonne Concordia to expel the water inside, raising it two metres (6.5 feet) off the artificial platform it has rested on since it was righted in September.

It will now be towed away from the shore and moored using anchors and cables. Thirty-six steel cables and 56 chains will hold the sponsons in place.

Italy's environmental minister told reporters that the operation would only be finished when the ship was successfully transported to the port of Genoa for scrapping. Towing is set for later this month.

The area is in one of Europe's largest marine sanctuaries – a haven for dolphins and whales – and environmentalists have warned about the dangers of toxic waste or fuel leaking into the sea as the ship is raised and towed.

The Concordia – twice as big as the Titanic – crashed off Giglio on the night of 13 January 2012, forcing many of its 4,229 passengers and crew from 70 countries to jump into the sea as lifeboat pulleys failed.

The ship's captain, Francesco Schettino, is on trial for manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning the vessel before all passengers had evacuated.

The Giglio shopkeeper Silvia said residents were looking forward to "waving farewell to the rusting hulk blighting our once-pristine shoreline".

The wreck of the Costa Concordia cruise ship during an operation to refloat

the boat on July 14, 2014 off Giglio Island, Italy (AFP Photo/Vincenzo Pinto)

Related Articles:

Italy cruise ship toxins threaten wildlife: activists

Costa Concordia floats for first time since shipwreck (+Video)

Costa Concordia upright after unique salvage bid