Authorities searching for survivors on the Costa Concordia shipwreck off the coast of Giglio, a Tuscan island north of Rome, have revised upwards the number of people missing from between 25 and 29, compared to their previous estimated number of 16.

The newspaper, La Stampa, suggests in its edition of 17 January that the number may even be higher at 40, citing figures from the prefecture in charge of the investigations. About 10 of these are thought to be Italian and at least 12 German.

The 292m-long luxury cruise liner, which ran aground on 13 January, is currently lying at a 90-degree angle, stuck on rocks. With rough seas promised later this week, there are fears that the ship could become dislodged causing it to sink.

There is a significant risk that its estimated 2,300 tons of fuel could then leak into the waters of the Tuscan Archipelago, one of Italy