Satellite Photos Stricken Cruise Ship from Orbit: Big Pic
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Jan. 18, 2012 -- In case there is any doubt about the size of the Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia and the scale of the problem rescue crews (and now salvage crews) face, this incredible satellite photograph of the cruise ship, on its side, has been released by Colorado-based Earth-observation company DigitalGlobe.
The Costa Concordia ran aground in shallow water off the Tuscan coast on Jan. 13, gouging a hole in her hull. 3,200 passengers were on board and, at time of writing, 11 people have been confirmed dead and two dozen remain missing.
DigitalGlobe operates three satellites -- the Quickbird, Worldview-1 and Worldview-2 -- all equipped with high-resolution cameras that capture detailed imagery for commercial use. This view of the cruise ship shows her on her side, half-submerged in 100-meter deep waters.
To give a sense of scale, the ship measures 290-meters (950 feet) long, that's almost the length of three football fields end-to-end.
More Discovery News coverage of the Costa Concordia disaster:
How to Refloat a Capsized Liner
Scorned Cruise Ship Captain Not Alone in History
Cruise Liner Keels Over Off Tuscany Coast
--by Ian O'Neill
Image credit: DigitalGlobe
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