The Discovery Channel commissioning a quick turnaround documentary on the Costa Concordia shipping disaster off the coast of Italy.

The Discovery Channel (DStv 121) has announced a quick turnaround documentary on the Costa Concordia shipping disaster off the coast of Italy, with the factual entertainment channel which will be examining all the factors which led up to the accident in which 16 people have already died.

The documentary will look at what happened at the time of the accident when the luxury liner ran aground, the role played by Captain Francesco Schettino, the evacuation procedures and the plans for the large-scale salvage mission of the Costa Concordia.

''The world has been horrified and captivated by the real-life drama of the Costa Concordia disaster," says Nancy Daniels, the executive vice president of production and development for the Discovery Channel in America in a press statement. ''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.''