The removal of the wreck of the Costa Concordia is due to start early morning of 16 September, although it was delayed a couple of hours because of bad overnight weather. Experts say it will take approximately 12 hours to rotate the ship and to put it back in its original floating position.

No salvage of this magnitude has ever been attempted before. If no major problems block or delay the operations the ship will remain upright off the coast of Giglio for several weeks to be pumped out and repaired before then being towed to the Tuscan port of Piombino where it will be dismantled.

So far the cost of the recovery operation amounts to €600 million, to be paid by Costa Crociere, the company that owns the vessel.

For further info also see The Costa Concordia salvage

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(photos form corriere.it)