Costa Concordia sister ship Allegra to be sold, likely for scrap

The ocean liner Allegra, from the same fleet as the ill-fated Costa Concordia, is on the seller's block with a likelihood it will be sold for scrap. The ship is much smaller than the Concordia at 28,500 tonnes and carries 820 passengers.

The Allegra is the oldest in the Costa Cruise line fleet and in late February the ship had a fire in the engine room in the Indian Ocean that left it adrift for three days without lights, running toilets or air-conditioning. It was eventually towed by a French fishing vessel to the Seychelles' island of Mahe. The ship has not been in use since. The trade publication, Cruise Critic, reported Monday that Costa Cruises has been unable to find a buyer that wishes to use the boat as a passenger ship and may have to settle on selling to a group in Turkey for scrap. However, Costa Cruises said they do not know the intentions of the potential buyer. “Negotiations with a Turkish shipowner for the sale of the Costa Allegra are in progress," Costa Cruises said in a statement. "Costa Cruises is not aware of the future use of the ship. That will be decided by the new owner.” Costa Concordia tragedy in Tuscan Bay The fire in the Allegra's engine room came 6 weeks after the Costa Concordia sailed too close to the shore of the Italian island of Giglio in the Tuscan Bay and hit a reef. The 114,500 tonne liner listed and partially sank. Thirty-two people died in the Jan. 13 tragedy. The ship is being refloated and should be ready by spring to be towed to a port and also sold for scrap.