Should the Costa Concordia be salvaged or sunk?

After nearly two years semi-submerged on an Italian reef, the Costa Concordia is being righted, in hopes the doomed cruise ship can finally be removed from its resting spot.

Hundreds are involved with wrestling the Concordia and righting it, at a cost of more than $800 million (USD), but should the ship be removed and sunk instead?

The operation, known in nautical parlance as parbuckling, is a proven method to raise capsized vessels. The USS Oklahoma was parbuckled by the U.S. military in 1943 after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

But the 300-meter (1,000-foot), 115,000-ton Concordia has been described as the largest cruise ship ever to capsize and subsequently require the complex rotation.

Engineers have dismissed what they call the "remote" possibility that the Concordia might break apart and no longer be sound enough to be towed to the mainland to be turned into scrap. Should the Concordia break apart during the rotation, or spew out toxic materials as it is raised, absorbent barriers were set in place to catch any leaks.

So we ask you: Should the Costa Concordia be salvaged or sunk in a safe area?

Have your say in the comments area below.

(With files from The Associated Press)