Italian authorities have said the operation to right the Costa Concordia is set for next week, almost 2 years after she capsized off the Italian coast.

The vessel has lain partially submerged since January 2012, but hopes are high that she will soon be rolled off the seabed and onto underwater platforms. During the process, known as parbuckling, divers will also look for the bodies of two people who are still unaccounted for. One Italian national and an Indian national.

National Civil Protection agency chief, Franco Gabrielli said that crews could try to right the ship on Monday. He also stressed that the exact date for the operation will only be known the day before, as the final green light depends on weather and sea conditions.

18,000 tonnes of cement have been pumped into bags below the vessel in an aid to support her weight and prevent her from breaking apart. A buoyancy device will also hold together the ship’s bow, and fishing nets will catch debris as the ship rises.

The ship will be rotated using hydraulic pulleys, once this process begins it cannot be stopped it must happen in one attempt. If all goes to plan the vessel will then come to rest on a huge platform that was built specifically for this operation. Once upright more boxes known as sponsons will be welded to her sides hopefully giving enough buoyancy to make the ship float.

The ship will then be towed away and scrapped, a task that is likely to take two years.

If the parbuckling attempt fails then the Costa Concordia will be dismantled where she lies, at a huge cost to the local environment.

Author: Danielle