The Costa Concordia is floating again.
The rusting wreck was lifted several feet off an underwater platform when air was pumped into 30 tanks attached to the hull, forcing out the ballast water. Over the next six or seven days, it will be refloated and prepared for its final tow to the Italian port of Genoa for dismantling.
The refloating operation began as scheduled on July 14. Here is a time-lapse video that shows the first day's progress:
The ship will be raised one deck at a time, from Deck 6 to Deck 3 in a delicate operation. The salvage team hopes to begin towing the vessel from the Italian island of Giglio on July 21.
The project is said to be one of the biggest marine salvage projects ever and likely to cost more than $1.2 billion when complete. "It is a complex operation never attempted before, but we know we can count on the best technicians in the world," Costa Crociere CEO Michael Thamm said before the refloating operation began. "I wish them all the best for the success of this great challenge."
The ship gashed its hull after hitting underwater rocks on Jan. 13, 2012, and came to rest on its side near Giglio. Thirty-two people were killed. The remains of an Indian waiter, Russel Rebello, have yet to be found.
Last September, the vessel was rotated onto the underwater platform in a meticulous operation called parbuckling.
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