Re: Good life-stream of Costa Concordia salvage
Costa Concordia Disaster
The Costa Concordia disaster was the partial sinking of the Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia[p 1] when it ran aground at Isola del Giglio,[p 2] Tuscany, on 13 January 2012 with the loss of 32 lives. The ship, carrying 4,252 people from all over the world, was on the first leg of a cruise around the Mediterranean Sea, starting from Civitavecchia in Lazio, when she hit a reef during an unofficial near-shore salute to the local islanders. To perform this manoeuvre, Captain Francesco Schettino[p 3] had deviated from the ship's computer-programmed route, claiming that he was familiar with the local seabed.
The collision with the reef could be heard onboard and caused a temporary power blackout when water flooded the engine room. The captain, having lost control of the ship, did nothing to contact the nearby harbour for help but tried to resume the original course, before a U-turn back to Giglio. In the end, he had to order evacuation when the ship grounded after an hour of listing and partly drifting. Meanwhile, the harbour authorities had been alerted by worried passengers, and vessels were sent to the rescue. During a six-hour evacuation, most passengers were brought ashore. The search for missing people continued for several months, with all but two being accounted for.
Costa Concordia, operated by Costa Cruises, is one of the largest ships ever to be abandoned and she dominated international media in the days after the disaster. Schettino was arrested on preliminary charges of multiple manslaughter in connection with causing a shipwreck, failing to assist 300 passengers, and failing to be the last to leave the wreck.[4] He was later charged with failing to describe to maritime authorities the scope of the disaster[5][6] and with abandoning incapacitated passengers.[7] Costa Cruises offered compensation to passengers (to a limit of €11,000 a person) to pay for all damages including the value of the cruise. One-third of the passengers took this offer. The company also at first offered to pay Captain Schettino's legal costs but later declined.
There were immediate fears of an ecological disaster, as the partially submerged wreck was in danger of slipping into much deeper water, with a risk of oil pollution that would have devastated this popular tourist zone. This event was averted, with all the fuel and oil being extracted safely by 24 March 2012. Costa Concordia has been officially declared a "constructive total loss" by the insurance company. Her salvage is going to be the biggest operation of its kind.[8] On 16 September 2013, the parbuckling of the ship began.[9] The operation started late due to bad weather.[10] Once the parbuckling is complete, the ship is due to be refloated in September 2013, and towed away to be cut up for scrap.
