Work to remove fuel from Costa Concordia completed

Work to remove fuel from the wreck of the capsized luxury cruise ship Costa Concordia, which ran aground off the Italian coat on January 13, has been completed. According to the Italian authorities, over 2,000 tonnes of fuel and sewage has been drained from the ship, which sank after hitting rocks off the Tuscan island of Giglio. There had been fears that pristine waters in the area might be polluted, the BBC reports. The ship was carrying 4,200 passengers and crew when its hull was torn open by rocks. Till now thirty people have reportedly died in the disaster and a further two are missing. Meanwhile, the ship’s captain Francesco Schettino is under house arrest and is facing charges of causing the incident by steering the Costa Concordia too close to the island's shore.