Raising the wreck of the Costa Concordia

It is twice as heavy as the Titanic, and lies on its side  with a 160 foot gash in its hull.

Despite being one of the toughest marine salvage challenges in modern history, the Italian cruise liner, Concordia, is now getting ready to be towed away.

The 950-ft vessel ran aground off the picturesque Tuscan island of Giglio on January 13,  leaving 32 people dead and its captain facing manslaughter charges.

Four hundred fifty of the world's best salvage technicians from 12 countries are now taking on an ambitious project to raise the ship from its half-submerged resting place and refloat it, so that it can be towed to Piombino for demolition.

Taken from The Telegraph