Environment Ministry wants in on Costa Concordia suit

ROME, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- The Italian Environment Ministry said it will be a part of any legal proceeding arising from the wreck of the Costa Concordia cruise ship off the Tuscan coast.

The cruise liner, carrying more than 4,000 people, slammed into a rock Jan. 14 off the island of Giglio, eventually falling to its side. Twenty-five people died and seven remain missing and are presumed dead.

The ministry said it would "stand as civil plaintiff" in the matter to "to petition regarding possible environmental damage," ANSA reported Thursday.

Tests indicated the waters off Giglio haven't sustained significant damage so far.

Meanwhile, cruise companies are offering steep discounts to woo passengers, the Economic Times reported.

Officials with the two biggest companies -- Carnival Corp., the parent of Costa Cruises, and Royal Caribbean -- said bookings fell by percentages in the mid-teen range in the weeks following the disaster.

Cruise deals on Expedia.com rose 60 percent compared with the same time last year, the Economic Times reported. Some cruise lines are offering reduced deposits, cabin upgrades and special offers for residents of certain states.