Costa Concordia Wreck to be Scrapped in Genoa

The bulk of the Costa Concordia cruise liner that capsised off the Tuscany coast in 2012, killing 32 people, will be demolished and scrapped in the port of Genoa, the Italian government decided on Monday.

The decision for the work to be done in Genoa, in northern Italy, followed a choice last month by Costa Cruises for a consortium including oil services company Saipem and Genoa-based companies Mariotti and San Giorgio.

A number of other ports in Italy and abroad had expressed interest in the contract.

The luxury liner hit rocks and sank more than two years ago as it sailed close to the island of Giglio.

Since then, it has been hauled upright but still rests where it capsized off the coast. It is expected to be towed to Genoa in the next few months.

(Reporting By Philip Pullella; Editing by Tom Heneghan)