On November 20th, a US Reconnaissance aircraft overran the runway
at a US Airforce base 10 miles from Honolulu, Hawaii. Currently, it is being
held up by reefs in the shallow waters of Kaneohe Bay, which is not only an
ancient fishpond, but also a breeding ground for Hammerhead sharks. Aboard
the plane that flew out from Washington (state) were nine individuals who all
were left uninjured. The US Reconnaissance weighs 79 tons when empty, and
the maximum weight is 146 tons. The cause of the crash is still yet to be
discovered.
at a US Airforce base 10 miles from Honolulu, Hawaii. Currently, it is being
held up by reefs in the shallow waters of Kaneohe Bay, which is not only an
ancient fishpond, but also a breeding ground for Hammerhead sharks. Aboard
the plane that flew out from Washington (state) were nine individuals who all
were left uninjured. The US Reconnaissance weighs 79 tons when empty, and
the maximum weight is 146 tons. The cause of the crash is still yet to be
discovered.
In an attempt to preserve what is still left undamaged of the reef, a
Navy team has removed almost all of the approximate 5,000 gallons of fuel
from the plane. On December 1st, contractors put inflatable cylinders under
the plane to lift the crushing weight off of the reef, and to float the aircraft
close enough to a crane that can lift it onto the runway. The cylinder was the
safest option for both the coral and the aircraft. Additionally, the Navy has
evaluated that the plane is in good condition, and they have hopes to fly it again.
As of recently, the coral had been determined to be scraped and
crushed. However, it seems that they have seen the worst of the damage.
Thankfully, from the state diver’s observations, there was no sign that fuel
had been leaked into the water. This being said, there is a better chance of
restoring the reef and animal life that was impacted by the plane crash.
