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Saturday, Jan 12, 2013 2:30 PM UTC

More money, time needed to remove Concordia wreck

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Topics: From the Wires,

More money, time needed to remove Concordia wreckThe 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)(Credit: AP)

GIGLIO, Italy (AP) — More time and money will be needed to remove the Costa Concordia from the rocks off Tuscany where it capsized last year, in part to ensure the toxic materials still trapped inside don’t leak into the marine sanctuary when it is righted, officials said Saturday.

On the eve of the first anniversary of the grounding, environmental and salvage experts gave an update on the unprecedented removal project underway, stressing the massive size of the ship — 112,000 tons, its precarious perch on the rocks off Giglio island’s port and the environmental concerns at play.

The pristine waters surrounding Giglio are part of a protected marine sanctuary for dolphins, porpoises and whales, and are a favorite for scuba divers. Already, tourism was off 28 percent last year thanks in part to the eyesore in Giglio’s port, and officials say the hulking vessel now won’t be removed before the end of this summer.

Franco Gabriele, the head of Italy’s civil protection agency, told reporters that officials were now looking at September as the probable date for removal, taking into account conservative estimates for poor weather and rough seas. Originally, officials had said they hoped to have it removed in early 2013.

In addition, Gabriele and Costa officials said the cost might now reach €400 million ($530 million), up from the €300 million ($400 million) originally estimated.

The Concordia slammed into a reef off Giglio on Jan. 13, 2012, after the captain took it off course in a stunt to bring it closer to the island. As it took on water through the 70-meter (230-foot) gash in its hull, the Concordia rolled onto its side and came to rest on the rocks off Giglio’s port. Thirty-two people were killed.

The captain, Francesco Schettino, remains under house arrest, accused of multiple manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and leaving the ship before all passengers were evacuated. He hasn’t been charged. Schettino maintains he saved lives by bringing the ship closer to shore and claims the reef wasn’t on his nautical charts.

Salvage crews successfully removed some 2,100 tons of fuel last year from the ship’s tanks without any major spill. But Maria Sargentini, president of the environmental oversight group for the Concordia, said sewage, remaining fuel and tons of rotten food remain inside.

“Sure, there are still some risks,” she said Saturday. “Especially during the rollover and floating operations, there could be some leaking.”

The complicated removal plan involves constructing an underwater platform and attaching empty cisterns on the exposed side of the ship. The cisterns will be filled with water, and cranes attached to the platform will be used to rotate the ship and pull it upright. Once upright, the ship will have cisterns attached to the other side. All the cisterns will be emptied of water and filled with air to help float the ship and free itself from the seabed. Once it’s properly afloat, it can then be towed to a nearby seaport for demolition.

On Sunday, relatives of the dead and some survivors are expected to flock to Giglio for a daylong commemoration that will honor the victims, those who rescued them and the residents of Giglio who opened their doors to the survivors.

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Winfield reported from Rome.

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Information on the removal project is at www.theparbucklingproject.com

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Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield

More By Paolo Santalucia And Nicole Winfield.

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