Costa Concordia Tragedy: Last Body Missing From The Ship Found, Identified

Almost three years after the sinking of the luxury cruise liner Costa Concordia off the shores of Italy, the body of the last person to have died in the tragedy has been recovered. The remains of Russel Rebello, an Indian national who worked as a waiter aboard the ill-fated ship, was recovered and positively identified by his family members.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the body of Russel was found as the work of dismantling the Costa Concordia was underway in Genoa. Russel’s remains were found by the employees of Ship Recycling, the firm that has been entrusted the job of scrapping the once opulent Costa Concordia. Italian language newspaper the La Stampa confirmed on its website about the finding of the body of Russel.

“The remains of the Indian waiter were found inside a cabin on deck eight of the Costa Concordia,” it said.

The report added that the remains of the Indian waiter were discovered inside a cabin, underneath furniture that had been overturned. The cabin was located on the badly damaged side of the Costa Concordia that was crushed against the sea floor. In spite of being underwater for so long, the scraps of Russel Rebello’s waiter uniform were found intact underneath the furniture. It was using the remains of the uniform that Russel was identified.

According to Mercury News, Russel’s brother Kevin Rebello has in a Facebook message confirmed that Russel’s body has been found and identified. Kevin also thanked his friends and well-wishers in the message that said he was sure that his brother would be found one day. Kevin added that a DNA test to confirm his Russel’s identity would be done after which the family would put his brother to rest “with honor.”

His long Facebook post read as follows.

Costa Concordia after 1025 days. I promised my family that I will bring back home my brother some day. When was the biggest question, I had no answer to. My younger brother Russel Rebello’s body has finally been found on deck 8 in a cabin of the wrecked Costa Concordia, who guarded him for more than 1025 days. I dont have words to express. Just my pain and my tears. My heart was pounding hard and my body trembling, when I broke the news to my parents a while ago, who now will have a sigh of relief, their constant prayers have been heard. Thanks to everyone who prayed and believed that one day he would be found. The Italian Civil Protection Agency and Costa Cruises Care Division this noon confirmed to me of the finding by the Ship Recycling agency working on the Ship. Many friends and people who I came across in this adventure to Finding Russel are happy that my brother has been found. Everyone’s prayers have been fulfilled. Now we wait for the DNA test and the procedures to give Russel his final resting place with honor, respect and a HEROS welcome. India we are coming.”

The Costa Concordia disaster in 2012 claimed the lives of over 32 people. One person was killed during the ship’s salvage operation later. After it was evaluated that the ship was a total loss, the vessel which remained stuck on a ledge near the shallow ocean floor was needed to be re-floated. The goal was to send the Costa Concordia to Genoa in order to scrap her. On July 14, 2014, the ship was finally re-floated and the Costa Concordia made her final trip to Genoa.

All but one person aboard the Costa Concordia was unaccounted for, until now. With the remains of the last person too found, the people affected by the disaster could find some sense of closure.

[Image Via Wikimedia Commons/ Facebook]