The Costa Concordia ran aground off Giglio Island in Italy on January 13, 2012, capsized, and later became one of the most famous cruise-ship disasters in modern history. It was eventually righted, removed, and scrapped in Genoa, while its captain, Francesco Schettino, was convicted and later sought early release from prison.

What happened

  • The ship struck rocks near Giglio Island after a risky close-to-shore maneuver.
  • The hull was badly damaged, the vessel listed sharply, and evacuation became chaotic.
  • 32 people died in the disaster.

What became of the ship

  • Salvage crews performed a huge engineering operation to refloat and straighten the ship.
  • After salvage, it was towed away and dismantled for scrap in Genoa.
  • The wreck became a landmark case in maritime safety and disaster response.

Why it’s still remembered

  • The disaster led to major scrutiny of cruise-ship safety and command decisions.
  • Francesco Schettino was blamed for the ship’s handling and was sentenced in connection with the deaths.
  • The case remains part of maritime discussions because it combined human error, evacuation failure, and a difficult salvage operation.

Quick scoop

In plain terms: the Costa Concordia hit rocks, capsized, caused 32 deaths, was salvaged in a record-setting operation, and was ultimately scrapped.