Time Lapse Video of the Raising of Costa Concordia:

Between 14 and 30 January, rescue divers searched within the ship for missing people. The head of the coast guard diving team described the conditions inside the ship, still perched on a 37-metre (120 ft) ledge, as "disastrous".[80] Pitch-black conditions with large furniture drifting around made the rescue operation hazardous.[81] Divers would find a path into the ship and tie down obstacles such as mattresses, before making noise to alert trapped people.[82] The divers worked in pairs for safety and searched each assigned area slowly in a zig-zag manner. The search dives were planned as 40 minutes in duration, with sufficient extra compressed air in the scuba tanks in case of emergency. The divers had two torches positioned on their helmets because underwater visibility varied from a few inches to about 2 feet. In addition, divers marked their route by trailing a line to be used to lead them back out in low visibility[83] and positioned extra emergency air tanks within the ship.[84] The divers were from the Navy, Coast Guard, and Vigili del Fuoco.[85]

On 14 January, divers searched the ship until nightfall.[86] Divers and firefighters continued to search for survivors who might have been trapped in the ship, and rescued a Korean newlywed couple trapped in a cabin two decks above the water line,[87] and the ship's purser suffering a broken leg.[88]

On 16 January, violent waters shifted the ship about 1.5 centimetres (0.6 in), interrupting rescue work[89]—trap doors were shut and debris fell on rescuers[85]—and giving rise to fear that the ship could be pushed into 68-metre (224 ft) deep waters[89] or that the fuel could leak.[90] Operations resumed about three hours later.[89] Throughout the process, rescuers set off explosives to create holes in the ship's hull to reach previously inaccessible areas.[81][91][92][93] On 18 January, rescue efforts were suspended again when the ship shifted, but shortly afterward were resumed.[94]

On 20 January, the ship began shifting by 1.5 centimetres (0.6 in) per hour,[94] but on 24 January, Franco Gabrielli, the Italian Civil Protection Agency head, said the ship was "stable".[95] The same day divers recovered the body of the 16th victim.[96] On 29 January, the operation was suspended because the ship had shifted 3.8 centimetres (1.5 in) in six hours and because of high waves.