Skip to content
Support Us

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Costa Concordia finally begins its journey to the scrapyard

“Today, Giglio is once again ours,” said locals relieved to see the stricken cruise liner start its final voyage.

Italy Shipwreck People look at the wreck of the Costa Concordia cruiser being towed away from the tiny Tuscan island of Isola del Giglio today. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

THE COSTA CONCORDIA cruise ship, which sank off the coast of Italy two years ago, has begun its final voyage: being towed away for scrap.

Thirty-two people were killed when the cruise liner was wrecked on 13 January, 2012.

It will take four days for tugs to bring the ship to Genoa, where it will be scrapped.

Nets have been attached along the ship’s sides to catch and hold any items on board that could fall off on its final journey. The ship will travel at around 2 knots (or 2.3 mph) and it is being accompanied by several boats to monitor pollution from the ship.

The Telegraph reports that people on the nearby island of Giglio celebrated the ship’s removal:

“It’s hard not to get emotional,” said Franco Porcellacchia, an engineer with ship owner Costa Crociere.

“Today, Giglio is once again ours,” a local man, visibly relieved to see the back of the Concordia, told AFP.

The ship’s Italian captain is currently on trial for manslaughter, causing the wreck and for abandoning ship while hundreds of the ship’s 4,200 passengers and crew were still on board.

A new search of the seabed where the ship was marooned is due to begin this Friday for the one body which was never recovered from the site. Divers have already painstainkingly combed inaccessible areas in vain for the remains of the Concordia crew member.

The Italian government official in charge of overseeing the ship’s removal, Franco Gabrielli, said they will only be certain that the body is no longer aboard the ship when it has been dismantled.

- Additional reporting by the AP, AFP

Watch: This is what it’s like to swim around the sunken Costa Concordia >

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
8 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kev Barnes
    Favourite Kev Barnes
    Report
    Jul 9th 2018, 7:53 AM

    Hot DRY week with rain……some weather forecast that

    162
    ed w
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ed w
    Favourite ed w
    Report
    Jul 9th 2018, 7:26 AM

    Riding sat and sun morning in the north west

    37
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Karl Dilkington
    Favourite Karl Dilkington
    Report
    Jul 9th 2018, 7:30 AM

    @ed w: fair play to ya

    238
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tweed Cap
    Favourite Tweed Cap
    Report
    Jul 9th 2018, 7:32 AM

    @ed w:
    Hope it stays nice and moist for ya. Them dry rides are no fun.

    273
    See 7 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ⚡ Seánie ⚡
    Favourite ⚡ Seánie ⚡
    Report
    Jul 9th 2018, 7:36 AM

    @ed w: there’s a man living for the weekend.

    88
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ronny
    Favourite Ronny
    Report
    Jul 9th 2018, 7:37 AM

    @ed w: too much information kid

    57
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute mcgoo
    Favourite mcgoo
    Report
    Jul 9th 2018, 7:39 AM

    @ed w: I’ll do the evenings for ya if needed

    61
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Me_a_monkey
    Favourite Me_a_monkey
    Report
    Jul 9th 2018, 8:24 AM

    @ed w: make sure u bag it up!

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean Conway
    Favourite Sean Conway
    Report
    Jul 9th 2018, 9:47 AM

    @Tweed Cap: Put some icecubes in your condom to keep the swelling down.

    11
    ed w
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ed w
    Favourite ed w
    Report
    Jul 9th 2018, 9:57 AM

    @Karl Dilkington: hope you got a good laugh meant raining of course

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Billy McNamara
    Favourite Billy McNamara
    Report
    Jul 9th 2018, 11:47 AM

    @ed w: I did.But I wonder !!!!.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kem Trayle
    Favourite Kem Trayle
    Report
    Jul 9th 2018, 10:55 AM

    It better rain soon or we’ll have to change our name to The Beige Isle.

    32
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean Beinead
    Favourite Sean Beinead
    Report
    Jul 9th 2018, 11:32 AM

    I wouldnt mind a mix of a few showers with the sunny weather ,me poor roses are suffering and me grass seed aint digging in deep quite yet , im sick of watering the garden every evening aswell.

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gisbert Bayertz
    Favourite Gisbert Bayertz
    Report
    Jul 9th 2018, 2:32 PM

    @Sean Beinead: I don’t have anymore grass…..just a brownish something covering part of my back garden

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gisbert Bayertz
    Favourite Gisbert Bayertz
    Report
    Jul 9th 2018, 2:31 PM

    Journal: have you checked Met Eireann? Just asking…..

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Theodora Lament
    Favourite Theodora Lament
    Report
    Jul 9th 2018, 2:46 PM

    Chucking it down in the Wessht

    2
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds