The people of Giglio received positive news from the Observatory on the recovery of the Costa Concordia during the last, periodic information meeting on the progress of operations for the removal of the wreck. The Observatory stated that water condition in the island of Giglio is good .
Such findings are the result of research studies conducted by authoritative study groups composed of Arpat, Ispra and by the Universities of Florence, Pisa, Rome, Cagliari and the Politecnico of Marche.
Scientific data show that, despite the presence of the wreck, the sea state is no different from the rest of the island waters and from the sea water of Tuscany.
Interestingly, this finding results not only from traditional tests, but also by examining the colonies of mussels and sea urchins specially put on the spot and by fish which, regularly sampled, showed no difference from the same species collected in other areas of the Tuscan coast.
Scientists have therefore stated that the presence of the Concordia, and the site, did not affect the overall environmental situation of the sea waters.
They simply found an area with settled dust – a mix of sand and cement – close to the Concordia, resulting from the drilling of the rock made to place the structures required for the removal operations.
As requested by the Observatory, Costa Crociere has agreed to submit a report on these sediments, as well as a management and rollback plan.
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Press Release, June 24, 2013; Image: SMIT Salvage