Rescue divers suspended their search of the Costa Concordia on Sunday after poor weather conditions caused the massive cruise ship to shift several inches atop rocks where it is perched, according to Italian media reports.
Rescuers cited precautionary reasons for suspending the search and rescue operation, saying that rough seas and bad weather around the island of Giglio where the ship crashed on Jan. 13 has gotten significantly worse, according to the Italy-based Adnkronos news agency.
The poor conditions also forced workers to halt the defueling of the cruise ship. Around 2,400 tons of fuel is on board and the Italian environmental agency fears that if the ship moves any more, it could spill out into the surrounding marine environment.
On Saturday, rescuers found the body of 26-year-old bartender Erika Fani Soriamolina, a Peruvian woman and the 17th life claimed by the shipwreck, according to the news agency. There are still 16 people missing.
Franco Gabrielli, Italy’s civil protection service chief, said the ship’s movements are “considered normal,” according to Adnkronos. At a news conference, he said his agency must still monitor the movements of the ship’s hull, saying that it will likely take “7 to 10 months” to remove the ship.
In another development on Friday, the owners of the cruise ship, the Carnival Corporation, offered each of the more than 3,000 passengers 11,000 euro, or around $14,500, in compensation if they do not sue.
