US Navy plane removed from Hawaii bay after it overshot runway. Coral damage remains to be seen

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

Updated 12:26 PM CST, December 4, 2023

KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii (AP) — A U.S. Navy jet has been moved from a coral reef in an environmentally sensitive Hawaii bay where it got stuck after overshooting a runway nearly two weeks ago, officials said Monday.

A team worked through the weekend to use inflatable cylinders to lift and roll the plane off the reef where it crashed on Nov. 20 and move it to the nearby runway at Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe Bay.

Rear Adm. Kevin Lenox, the commander of Carrier Strike Group 3 who is leading the $1.5 million salvage effort, said absorbent material around the plane showed no indication of any fluid other than sea water, giving officials confidence that the plane hadn’t released any hazardous materials such as fuel.

None of the nine people on board the P-8A — the military’s version of a Boeing 737 — were injured. The Navy is investigating the cause of the crash.



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-navy-plane-coral-reef-ef0306cad4218000cc24ff00de3d2474

[twodogsbarking]

1. "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!"

[mahina]

2. It was absolutely surreal to see that thing in our beautiful bay

I don’t know if I believe them about the fuel, not being discharged at all, especially following the Red Hill debacle. Still at least it’s off the reef, hooray.

[Old Crank]

3. It does look like

Since the wheels were down that the wings didn't get damaged. That tends to be where fuel is stored. Now were there smaller leaks before the crew shut down any fuel pumps or any fuel lines ruptured I can't say.
We need to have some trust in the salvage operation and reporting. But with the historical record........

[mahina]

6. Here's a hope!

[pfitz59]

4. the plane is probably salvagable

will take some cleaning.

[mahina]

5. I'm glad to hear it.