Concordia operations delayed due to shift

Italy’s environment minister has said that there will be an environmental disaster if the 2,300 tonnes of fuel on the half-submerged cruise ship leaks out.

Since the incident last Friday, the vessel is reported to have been shifting dangerously.

Before it capsized, the ship’s fuel tanks were full, having just left the port of Civitavecchia, north of Rome, for a week-long Mediterranean cruise.

The area where the ship capsized, off the island of Giglio, is known for its abundance in marine life and coral.

“The environmental risk for the island of Giglio is very, very high,” Environment Minister Corrado Clini told reporters in Rome. “The aim is to prevent the fuel leaking out of the ship. We are working to avoid this. It is urgent and time is running out.”

Media reports say that Dutch salvage expert SMIT International has been asked to pump out oil prior to the salvage operation taking place.

Meanwhile, captain of the vessel, Francesco Schettino, is still under house arrest – accused of not only causing the incident, but also fleeing the vessel before evacuation was complete – not helped by today’s leaked audio tapes of a coastguard official ordering the captain back on board the vessel during the incident.

In an initial hearing yesterday, Francesco Schettino denied all charges.

The ship’s owner, Costa Crociere, has stated that the ship diverted from its normal route to sail closer to shore prior to the incident and that this was unauthorised by the company.

The ship’s black box containing all navigation data has been seized and is being examined. The investigation continues.