Costa Concordia: DNA Test Says Body Discovered is of Maria Grazia Trecarichi

DNA tests confirmed that a body found inside the Costa Concoridia is of Maria Grazia Trecarichi, while hopes of finding the other missing victim of the ill-fated voyage, Russel Rebello, shrunk dramatically after Italian authorities suspended the searches.

Sources at the Court of Grosseto, Tuscany, where the trial against Concordia's captain Francesco Schettino is being held, told IBTimes UK that the test overturned initial speculations the remains belonged to Rebello.

Scuba divers with Italy's Civil Protection discovered a body in an advanced state of decay, near the third deck of the salvaged ocean liner earlier this month.

The Civil Protection initially said some details, including clothing items that were found on the victim, led them to believe the body was of Rebello, a 33-year-old cruise waiter from India.

Authorities later changed their assumption as a pair of size 5 women's shoes and a pendant were retrieved nearby.

IBTimes UK understands the test conducted by forensics with Rome's police also attributed bones and other remains found near the Concordia to Trecarichi.

The outcome of the DNA tests is to be made public next week.

Meanwhile the Civil Protection announced it suspended search operations launched after the Concordia was set upright in an unprecedented salvaging operation in September.

"We have completed all searching activities for the missing victims of the January 2012 shipwreck near Giglio Island that were technically possible," the Civil Protection said.

"All the areas of the ship that are accessible - both underwater and over the sea surface - have been inspected."

The Civil Protection said analysis will be resumed when the Concordia is docked and pulled out of the water for repairs.

Trecarichi was on the cruiser to celebrate her 50th birthday with her 17-year-old daughter Stefania.

They had boarded different lifeboats because Trecarichi was cold and had gone below deck to fetch a jacket. Stefania survived.

Rebello was hailed a hero for saving lives before losing his own when the ship sank killing 32 people.

Witnesses said that as Schettino allegedly abandoned ship, the Mumbai native stayed on to help other passengers to safety and even gave one his own lifejacket.

He was last seen as he made his way to a muster station at the back of the ship.

Schettino is on trial over the disaster on charges of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship.