A large U.S. Navy aircraft still sits in a Hawaii bay after it crashed into the ocean nine days ago. The plane can be seen partially submerged in Kaneohe Bay, a popular site for snorkeling and boating. It’s sitting mostly on its landing gear atop coral and sand, but its left engine is resting directly on coral.
The P-8A Poseidon aircraft overshot the runway on Nov. 20 at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe. All nine people on board the plane were uninjured and an investigation into the crash is underway. It’s believed that bad weather may have played a part.
Thirty minutes after the crash, containment booms were deployed around the airplane to prevent hazardous contaminants from spreading, according to an update from the Marine Corps Base commander, but the Navy has said there was no fuel leak. Some residents have raised environmental concerns about the extent of the damage to the reef.
“Since the incident and through the weekend, this team has been singularly focused on developing a salvage plan for this aircraft that prioritizes the safety of personnel and the environment in Kaneohe Bay,” Rear Adm. Kevin P. Lenox, on-scene commander and commander of Carrier Strike Group 3, said in an update on Monday, adding the plane holds $200 million’s worth of equipment.
Over the weekend, a Navy dive and salvage unit based out of Pearl Harbor successfully completed the first step in the salvage plan. The divers removed “all the fuel they could get” from the aircraft, which Lenox said was more than 2,000 gallons. Navy divers practiced defeuling a P-8 at Pearl Harbor before attempting it on the crashed plane, Lenox said.
Now that the P-8 has been defueled, Lenox said they are gathering the resources for the next step, including special equipment that arrives in Hawaii Wednesday, Nov. 29.
Lenox explained they are looking at two different ways the aircraft can be removed, according to Hawaii News Now. The first, by floating it in range of a crane and lifting it onto the runway. The second, by floating it and using giant roller bags to roll it up onto the runway. Once the necessary equipment arrives, the Navy will assess how best to move forward with removing the plane.
“Our collective goal is to remove the aircraft as soon and as safely as possible,” said Lenox.