U.S. Navy Successfully Removes Crashed Plane from Hawaii Coral Reef

Inflatable cylinders used in $1.5 million salvage operation to minimize further damage to the reef; full assessment of coral impact underway.

The U.S. Navy has successfully removed a P-8A Poseidon plane from a coral reef in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, where it crashed after overshooting a runway on November 20.
The plane was removed using inflatable cylinders to lift and roll it off the reef, a method chosen to minimize further damage to the coral.
Nearly all of the estimated 2,000 gallons of fuel from the aircraft was removed prior to the salvage operation, reducing the risk of hazardous material release.
The salvage operation, led by Rear Adm. Kevin Lenox, cost an estimated $1.5 million.
State divers have begun preliminary assessments of the plane's impact on the coral, with a fuller assessment expected to follow.