The owners of a shipwrecked cruise liner say it may take seven to 10 months to remove the overturned vessel from an Italian coastline.

U.S.-based Carnival Corporation says it has contacted 10 firms to submit plans for the job.

Carnival plans to make a decision by the end of next month on which company will remove the hull of the Costa Concordia, which lies in an environmentally sensitive area.

At least 17 people died when the more than 100,000-ton cruise ship struck rocks near Giglio Island last month and flipped on its side.

Rescuers are still trying to locate 15 other people still missing from the partially submerged ship.

The giant cruise ship was carrying 4,229 passengers and crew when it rolled over on January 13.

The ship's captain has been accused of steering the ship too close to the shore and onto the rocks.

He remains under house arrest on multiple charges, including manslaughter and abandoning ship before those who

were on board had gotten off safely.