Costa Salvage Update: Removal Plans on Hold

Work to remove the wreck of the 'Costa Concordia' cruise liner from Italy's Giglio Island was suspended on Wednesday as a decision has not been made on where the vessel will be taken to be demolished, reports Xinhua, citing local reports. In addition, according to Costa Crociere & Titan Micoperi, the Observatory has yet to give permission for the installation of 18 sponsons still to be positioned.

Italian officials had previously said the Costa Concordia, which has been lying on its side since Jan. 13, 2012 when it capsized with 4,252 passengers on board leaving 32 dead, would be removed from Giglio in June.

The wrecked cruise liner, which weighs around 114,500 tons and is 290-meter long, was lifted upright in September 2013 after an unprecedented salvage operation.

Citing a representative of the salvage company in charge of clearing the wreckage, Italian-U.S. consortium Titan Micoperi, Xinhua report there was optimism that the works will restart soon.

Sources: Titan Micoperi/Xinhua