Tugs Start to Pull Wrecked Costa Concordia Away

The Costa Concordia has begun its final voyage. Tugboats today started towing the wrecked cruise liner away from the tiny Italian island of Giglio, where it capsized after its captain steered too close to the island and struck a reef in January 2012, killing 32 people. After completing the four-day journey to Genoa—the northwestern Italian mainland port and home to the ship's owner, Costa Crociere Spa—the vessel will be reduced to scrap at the port. Once the ship has left, another search will be launched for the body of the one victim who was never found.

Sirens on nearby boats wailed and bells on the island tolled just before two tugboats started pulling the Concordia. "It's a moment for sobriety and sorrowful respect for those who are no more," a government official told Italian news channel Sky TG24. Accompanying the tugs and the Concordia, moving at 2 knots, are several boats to help check for any possible pollution in the waters. The Concordia's Italian captain is on trial for multiple manslaughter, causing the wreck, and abandoning ship before all aboard were evacuated. He claims the reef wasn't on the liner's nautical charts. (More Costa Concordia stories.)