World

Unprecedented effort under way to remove Costa Concordia wreck from Tuscan maritime reserve

Associated Press
Published | Updated

The cruise ship Costa Concordia, leaning on its side, is seen from a street of the Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013. As if the nightmares, flashbacks and anxiety weren't enough, passengers who survived the terrifying grounding and capsizing of the Costa Concordia off Tuscany have come in for a rude shock as they mark the first anniversary of the disaster on Sunday. Ship owner Costa Crociere SpA, the Italian unit of Miami-based Carnival Corp., sent several passengers a letter telling them they weren't welcome at the official anniversary ceremonies on the island of Giglio where the hulking ship still rests. Costa says the day is focused on the families of the 32 people who died Jan. 13, 2012, not the 4,200 passengers and crew who survived. (AP Photo/Paolo Santalucia) (The Associated Press)

The cruise ship Costa Concordia, leaning on its side, is seen just off the coast of the Tuscan island of Giglio, Italy, Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013. As if the nightmares, flashbacks and anxiety weren't enough, passengers who survived the terrifying grounding and capsizing of the Costa Concordia off Tuscany have come in for a rude shock as they mark the first anniversary of the disaster on Sunday. Ship owner Costa Crociere SpA, the Italian unit of Miami-based Carnival Corp., sent several passengers a letter telling them they weren't welcome at the official anniversary ceremonies on the island of Giglio where the hulking ship still rests. Costa says the day is focused on the families of the 32 people who died Jan. 13, 2012, not the 4,200 passengers and crew who survived. (AP Photo/Paolo Santalucia) (The Associated Press)

Officials say more time and money will be needed to safely remove the Costa Concordia cruise ship from the rocks off Tuscany where it capsized last year.

On the eve of the first anniversary of the grounding, officials on Saturday stressed the unprecedented nature of the removal given the massive size of the ship — 112,000 tons — its precarious perch on the rocks off Giglio island's port and the delicate marine environment they are trying to preserve.

Maria Sargentini, president of the environmental oversight group for the Concordia, said there is still some risk of pollution when the ship is righted, even though some 2,000 tons of fuel were already pumped out. Sewage and tons of rotten food remain and could leak.

Thirty-two people were killed in the disaster.