Costa Concordia is afloat again

JULY 14, 2014 — It may be low in the water and supported by sponsons, but the Costa Concordia is afloat again.

The first day of the refloating project was successfully concluded more than two and a half years after the cruise ship ran aground off Italy’s Giglio Island with more than 4,200 people aboard, in a tragedy that took 32 lives.

By 8.00 p.m. local time, according to technician’s estimations, the wreck was floating with the support of sponsons some 2.2 meters off the false sea bed on which it had rested since being righted and it had been towed for about 30 meters eastwards.

The wreck is now securely moored, concluding first phase of the refloating operations, although operations have continued around and under the wreck to connect some chains and cables to the sponsons.