Costa Concordia Refloated, Preparing for Final Tow

More than two years after the cruise ship Costa Concordia capsized off the Italian coast leaving 32 people dead, the vessel was finally refloated Monday and will soon be towed away and broken down into scrap material.

The ship, which ran aground on rocks near Giglio island in January 2012, was scheduled to depart Tuesday, but bad weather pushed the four-day voyage to Genoa back to Wednesday. Fourteen boats will escort the vessel on its journey.

A small amount of oil reportedly spilled after salvage workers began refloating the ship on July 14.

Francesco Schettino, the captain of the Costa Concordia, is currently on trial on manslaughter charges. Authorities have accused Schettino of causing the shipwreck by sailing too close to shore to “salute” the port, then abandoning the ship.

The cost of cleaning up the disaster, including the salvage operation and repairs to Giglio, are estimated to cost more than $2 billion, according to the chief executive of Costa Crociere, which owns the vessel. Costa Crociere is a unit of Carnival Corp.

The cruise ship injury lawyers at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P., Accident & Injury Lawyers represent crewmembers and passengers who have been injured in cruise vessel accidents in international waters.

Read Past Blogs about the Costa Concordia Disaster

• Death Toll Rises In Italian Cruise Ship Disaster
• Search For Missing On Italian Cruise Liner Wreck Suspended
• Crippled Cruise Liner Shifts, Prompting Environmental Concerns For Italian Coast
• Former Concordia Captain Faces Survivors
• Cruise Line Tragedy Spotlights Lack of Regulations