Discovery Preps Special on Cruise Ship Disaster

SILVER SPRING: Discovery Channel has announced a quick turnaround doc on the Costa Concordia, the luxury cruise ship that ran aground on the Italian coast on Friday, January 13.

As of this morning there are 15 confirmed dead from the disaster, with some 20 passengers still missing. There were 4,200 passengers on board the cruise ship, which ran aground just a few hours after leaving port in Civitavecchia, outside of Rome. The special, set for a spring broadcast, will look at what happened at the time of the accident, the role played by Captain Francesco Schettino, the evacuation procedures and the plans for the large-scale salvage mission.

“The world has been horrified and captivated by the real-life drama of the Costa Concordia disaster," said Nancy Daniels, executive VP of production and development for Discovery Channel. "With so many unanswered questions, Discovery will piece together not only the immediate events but the bigger story of what comes next in recovery and restoration.”