#28: The Costa Concordia Tragedy
While Google captures funny, unexpected moments on its satellites, it also captures sad tragedies. The Costa Concordia cruise ship capsized off the coast of Giglio, Italy, in January of 2012 after it deviated from its charted route. The cruise ship sailed too close to the island’s coast, hit a rock formation, and capsized on its side. The accident was a huge disaster that cost human lives and landed the ship’s captain in prison.
For better or worse, Google’s satellites operate regardless of what is happening on the planet below. It captured an aerial view of the capsized ship, which shows just how serious the situation was. When it tipped, the Costa Concordia was carrying 3,229 passengers and 1,023 crewmembers onboard. The evacuation took six hours, and 33 people sadly lost their lives. There is now a memorial at the site of the tragedy to commemorate the lives lost.