Underwater salvage divers and explosive ordnance disposal technicians from the US Navy are working to recover the wreckage of a Boeing EA-18G Growler jet that crashed near San Diego, California earlier this month.
The electronic attack fighter went down in the waters of San Diego Bay on 12 February while on approach to runway 11 at NAS North Island. Although both crew members safely ejected, the aircraft was a total loss.
Two weeks later, the navy says it has made “significant progress” in recovering wreckage from the crash, which occurred in a narrow waterway that separates the naval air station from San Diego International airport.
As of 21 February, the service says its technicians have removed more than 7,275kg (16,000lb) of wreckage from the Growler, remnants of which are dispersed across a 1,2007 sq m (13,000 sq ft) underwater debris field.
The EA-18G has an empty weight of 15,000kg and a recovery weight of 21,722kg, according to Boeing.
Photos of the salvage effort released by the navy show floating cranes lifting basket loads of mangled metal debris out of the water and onto salvage barges.
The navy says it is on track with an earlier estimate of a two-week period to complete recovery operations.
“Our top priority is a careful and thorough recovery that safeguards the well-being of all involved – residents, service members and our valued partners,” says Vice Admiral John Wade, commander of the US 3rd Fleet.
See more photos from the recovery effort:
