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Costa Concordia's last voyage delayed

Costa Concordia's final voyage was planned for Tuesday.

By Ed Adamczyk
The Costa Concordia, with flotation boxes attached. (Wikimedia Commons)
The Costa Concordia, with flotation boxes attached. (Wikimedia Commons)

GIGLIO ISLAND , Italy, July 21 (UPI) -- The departure of the cruise ship Costa Concordia, from where it ran aground off Italy's Tuscany region to a Genoa scrapyard, was delayed until Wednesday.

The ship capsized in January 2012 after striking rocks near Giglio Island in the Mediterranean Sea. Thirty-two people died in the incident, and former captain Francesco Schettino is currently on trial in Gresseto on multiple homicide charges.

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In an unprecedented salvage operation, the ship was refloated by attaching large metal boxes to its partially-submerged hull, then inflating the boxes, but it must be raised further to permit towing it to Genoa for dismantling.

Bad weather at Giglio Island pushed the departure date back to Tuesday, but authorities say the ship, escorted by 14 boats, will begin its four-day trip to Genoa Wednesday.

"We are certain that it'll be in Genoa on Sunday," Costa Cruises CEO Michael Thamm said at a press conference.

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