The Costa Concordia left
the Tuscan island of Giglio, where it capsized after crashing
into rocks in January 2012 in a disaster in which 32 people
died, and set off on its final voyage Wednesday.
The wreck is being towed to Genoa, where it will be broken
up for scrap, at a speed of two knots.
It is expected to arrive in Genoa Sunday.
It was initially scheduled to depart on Monday, but the
move was postponed twice due to bad weather and delays in the
process to refloat the ship, which had been sitting on an
artificial platform after last year's unprecedented parbuckling
operation to set it upright.
The 114,500-tonne liner, which is floating thanks to huge
metal boxes filled with air attached to it, is being towed by a
convoy of 14 boats.
The departure was greeted by applause in the control room
and on the shore in Giglio, and the honking of sirens from the
tugs and boats in the area.
But officials insisted the job will not be considered
completed until the Concordia is safely in Genoa.
"It's satisfying, but this satisfaction must be measured
and sober and it cannot be detached from the reason we are
here," said Franco Gabrielli, the head of Italy's Civil
Protection Department.
In addition to the 32 people killed in the disaster, a
Spanish diver working for the firm Titan Micoperi died while
assisting with the salvage operation early this year.
Nevertheless, many of the officials at a press conference
given following the Concordia's departure struggled to keep a
lid on their emotions.
"It's difficult not to be moved, so let's move to the
data," said Franco Porcellacchia, Costa Cruises chief official
involved in the salvage operation.
"The ship is sailing at two knots and everything is working
perfectly.
"Between Saturday night and Sunday morning it will arrive
in Genoa and it will enter the post on Sunday morning.
"Italian engineering deserves great credit for this job,
although our striker was (South African salvage master) Nick
Sloane".
Former Concordia captain Francesco Schettino is on trial
in the Tuscan city of Grosseto on charges of multiple homicide,
causing a shipwreck by sailing too close to shore to "salute"
Giglio, and abandoning the ship before it was evacuated.
Schettino is the only person on trial after four crew
members and a Costa Cruises official were sentenced to terms of
up to 34 months in prison following plea bargains.
Costa Cruises avoided criminal prosecution by agreeing to
pay a one-million-euro fine, but victims are seeking
compensation in civil courts.
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