The search for the missing in the submerged portions of the Costa Concordia has ended due to concerns for the safety of the rescue workers. The estimated toll from the sinking stands at 33 dead or missing. The bodies of 17 passengers and crew have been recovered since the ship grounded and capsized on January 13th. An additional 16 people are still missing and presumed dead. Salvage crews continue to be delayed by bad weather in their efforts to pump the 2,300 tonnes of marine diesel oil and gas oil from the ship.
Franco Gabrielli, head of Italy’s civil protection agency, estimates that the removal of the ship could take up to a year. He said it would take up to two months for salvage companies to respond to a call for tenders from the ship’s owners, Costa Corciere. “Taking into account the constraints that weather and sea conditions may impose, it will take seven to 10 months to remove the wreck,” he told the Ansa news agency.
The cost of the Costa Concordia sinking could reach a billion dollars, paid primarily by insurance companies. Carnival Corporation, the parent company of Costa Cruises, will likely be responsible for at least $40 million in deductibles. Initial estimates from Carnival suggest that they may also loose another $95 million in lost bookings. There are also concerns that the bad publicity from the sinking will negatively impact cruise bookings just as the industry is recovering from the recession.
Good morning Rick!
I found a 2.44 minute video at the London Telegraph’s website that shows Italian divers conducting an inspection of the submerged portion of the hull. It shows part of the enormous debris field around the wreck and the challenging conditions the divers are working in, but I think it also shows very briefly some significant hull damage on the Starboard side below the waterline in the red painted hull. Its a quick view and you may want to watch it more than once….
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/9047595/Costa-Concordia-underwater-footage-shows-divers-inspection.html
That is wonderful footage. Becomes very clear why they called off the search for the missing bodies. it has to be incredibly hazardous for divers inside the hull with all the debris. I think I see what you mean about damage. Hard to tell when it was done. By now it should be reasonably easy to judge where the ship touched by the marks on the outcroppings near Scole rock. I wonder how long it will be before more information is made public.
I think you’ll find that the ship was gashed on her port side, not the starboard side. Here’s a time-line put together by a Fifth Estate program:
Timeline-the Fifth Estate
2/3/12
MONDAY, JANUARY 9
Angelo and Danielle Pezzino of Verona, New Jersey, and Andrea and Laurence Davis of Calgary, board the Costa Concordia in Barcelona.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 13
5:45 p.m. Alan and Laurie Willits of Wingham, Ontario, board the ship in Civitavecchia, a major seaport about 80 km northwest of Rome.
7:45 p.m. Angelo and Danielle Pezzino reach the 11th deck Club Concordia restaurant for an 8 p.m. reservation.
8:30 p.m. The Pezzinos the ship Captain Francesco Schettino and his blonde dinner date enter the restaurant and take a window seat.
9:05 p.m. Captain Schettino is seen leaving the Concordia Club with Domnica Cemortan (doesn’t correlate with 9:30), an off-duty ship hostess and translator, and another officer. A witness says the group had consumed at least a decanter of red wine, although Schettino says he drank no alcohol that night.
9:08 p.m. Francesca Tievoli, whose brother Antonelli Tievoli is the ship’s chief steward, posts on Facebook: “In a little while the Costa Concordia will sail so close so close …”
9:30 p.m. Angelo Pezzino sees an officer walk over to Captain Schettino’s table and whisper something to him. A few minutes later the officer, the captain, and his dinner date leave the restaurant.
Approximately 9:40 p.m. Captain Schettino allegedly calls Tievoli to the bridge saying: “Antonello, come see, we are very close to your Giglio.” Witnesses claim Tievoli, standing on the bridge, tells Schettino: “Careful, we are extremely close to the shore.”
9:42 p.m. Captain Schettino is at the helm of the Concordia when he steers the ship into rocks off the island of Giglio while trying to perform an “inchino” or sail-past salute for a former Costa Cruises captain and chief steward Tievoli.
Domnica Cemortan is also on the bridge when the accident happens.
Alan and Laurie Willits, who are watching a magic show in the theatre, are forced out of their seats when the ship suddenly tilts toward the port side. The lights go out and people start leaving the theatre.
9:45 p.m. The ship is listing by seven degrees and some passengers begin to realize that something is wrong and phone relatives. One passenger calls his parents in Tuscany, who call the local Carabinieri, who then call the coastguard in Livorno on the Tuscan coast.
10:05 p.m. Captain Schettino calls his employers, Costa Crociere, to report a problem with the ship.
10:06 p.m. Police in Prato contact the Harbour Master’s office in Livorno. They say a woman has called to say her mother is on the Corcordia, that the dining room ceiling has fallen on her and that the crew has ordered passengers to put on life jackets.
10:14 p.m. The Harbour Master contacts the Concordia asking if she is having problems. An officer replies that it’s only a blackout which has been going on for 20 minutes and which they will fix shortly. The Harbour Master asks about passengers putting on life jackets, but the officer insists it’s only a power outage.
10:16 p.m. Guardia di Finanza (finance police) patrol boat G104 is close to the island of Giglio and asks if it should check the Concordia.
10:17 p.m. The Harbour Master informs superiors there may be more wrong with the Concordia than the ship’s officer is letting on.
10:26 p.m. Forty-four minutes after the Concordia’s collision, the Harbour Master contacts Captain Schettino. Schettino says the ship is taking on water through an opening on its left side and the ship is listing. He says there are no dead or injured. The Harbour Master asks if he needs help. Schettino requests a tug boat.
10:30 p.m. The ship is listing by 20 degrees.
Mario Pellegrini, deputy mayor of Giglio, arrives at the port after receiving a phone call from the police telling him there was a ship sinking there. He decides to board the ship to help with the rescue effort.
10:34 p.m. Fifty-two minutes after the collision (doesn’t correlate with 10:58), the Harbour Master contacts the Concordia, which sends a “distress” message. They are now evacuating the 3,208 passengers and 1,023 crew members from the ship.
10:39 p.m. A Guardia di Finanza patrol boat reports the ship is leaning heavily to one side.
10:44 p.m. One hour after the collision, the Guardia di Finanza reports the Concordia is grounded.
10:45 p.m. Captain Schettino denies the ship is grounded, saying it is floating and that he will try to bring her around.
10:48 p.m. The Harbour Master asks the Concordia to consider abandoning ship. Answer: ‘we are considering it’.
10:58 p.m. Twenty minutes after issuing a “Mayday” signal and one hour and 16 minutes after the collision, Captain Schettino tells the Harbour Master he has given the order to abandon ship.
Shortly after 11 p.m. Deputy Mayor Pellegrini climbs aboard the ship using a rope ladder and finds pandemonium as passengers and crew rush the lifeboats.
11:23 p.m. The Concordia reports it has a large tear on its right side.
11:37 p.m. Captain Schettino says there are still 300 people on board.
Approximately 11:58 p.m. Witnesses see Captain Schettino wrapped in a blanket getting on a lifeboat.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 14
00:10 a.m. Local authorities say there is not enough room for all evacuees on Giglio and that they will begin to transfer them to the mainland.
One hour and 12 minutes after the evacuation order, Laurence and Andrea Davis cannot get into a lifeboat and decide to jump in the water and swim to shore. Laurence’s wristwatch stops when it gets wet.
00:12 a.m. The Guardia di Finanza report that lifeboats can’t be launched on the left side of the ship.
00:34 a.m. Captain Schettino says he is in a lifeboat and can see three people in the water.
00:36 a.m. The Guardia di Finanza can still see 70 to 80 people on board including children and the elderly.
Approximately 00:30 a.m. Angelo and Danielle Pezzino reach shore.
00:38 a.m. A rescue crew in a helicopter sees many people on board and some in the water.
00:42 a.m. Captain Schettino and all his officers are in a lifeboat. Captain De Falco, who is in charge of the Harbour Master’s office, orders them to get back on board to coordinate the evacuation.
00:50 a.m. The Harbour Master’s office takes control of the rescue operation.
1.04 a.m. A helicopter lowers an air force officer on board who reports 100 people are still waiting to be rescued.
1:45 a.m. An officer confirms that a rope ladder strung across the hull is safe to use.
1:46 a.m. For a second time Captain De Falco orders Captain Schettino to get back on board using the rope ladder.
2:00 a.m. Laurence and Andrea Davis reach the local Giglio island school which is being used as the rescue shelter.
2:29 a.m. Three people are reported hanging from the prow of the ship.
2:53 a.m. A Guardia di Finanza officer boards the ship using a rope ladder and says that Captain Schettino has been seen heading towards port in a lifeboat.
3:17 a.m. Carabinieri identify Captain Schettino on the quay at the port on Isola Del Giglio without detaining him.
3:44 a.m. An air force officer on board reports there are 40 to 50 people left to evacuate from the ship.
4:22 a.m. The number of passengers remaining on board falls to 30.
4:46 a.m. Six hours after the collision, the ship’s evacuation is complete.
5:00 a.m. Captain Schettino calls his 80-year-old mother Rosa, telling her: “Mamma, there’s been a tragedy. But don’t worry; I tried to save the passengers. I won’t be able to phone you for a while. Just stay calm.”
Wonderful timeline. Thanks.