Navy relieves four sailors for not following standard procedure in USS Guardian Philippine reef crash and the U.S. could face a fine of more than $2 million
Four Navy officers of the USS
Guardian, which ran aground on a Philippines protected coral reef, have
been relieved of their duties, U.S. officials say.
Initial findings showed that the men, including their commanding officer, had not followed standard procedure, according to a Navy statement.
The U.S. could face a fine of more than $2 million for damaging the Tubbataha Reef, which is a Unesco World Heritage site, the report shows.
The four officers have been reassigned while investigations continue.
The USS Guardian struck the reef south-east of Palawan island on January 17.
The last piece of the mine countermeasures ship was lifted out of a reef in the Philippines last Saturday.
After the vessel ran aground the Navy was left with no other option than to cut the ship into pieces to remove it from the water.
The final section of the hull, which weighs about 250 tons, was removed from the reef by the U.S. salvage ship Jascon 25.
‘As the hull has been removed, the team is now shifting their effort to collecting minor debris that remains on the reef,’ Supervisor of Salvage, Captain Mark Matthews told news channel WTKR.
‘We also have a collaborative team from the U.S. and the Philippines beginning to assess the condition of the reef,’ he said.
Over the past two months the
Navy has been working to salvage any reusable equipment from the vessel
and remove any potentially harmful materials such as petroleum-based
products and human wastewater.
‘Every salvage operation presents unique challenges. It has been difficult to extract the Guardian without causing further damage to the reef, but the U.S. Navy and SMIT salvage team with support from other companies and the government of the Philippines have really done a superb job,’ said Matthews.
‘I could not be more proud,’ he added.
No
fuel has leaked since the grounding and all of the approximately 15,000
gallons aboard Guardian were safely transferred off the ship in the
early days of the salvage operation.
'We continue to work closely with the Philippine Coast Guard, Navy, and Tubbataha Reef Park Rangers, and we are grateful for the support we have received to remove Guardian and minimize further damage to the reef,’ Matthews told the news channel.
Several other ships, including the USNS Safeguard, the SMIT Borneo, the Trabajador, the Intrepid, and the Archon Tide joined the Jascon 25 to assist in the clean-up operation.
The area the ship came aground on is a ‘unique example of an atoll reef with a very high density of marine species,’ according to Unesco.
Part of the area serves as a nesting site for birds and marine turtles.
Initial findings showed that the men, including their commanding officer, had not followed standard procedure, according to a Navy statement.
The U.S. could face a fine of more than $2 million for damaging the Tubbataha Reef, which is a Unesco World Heritage site, the report shows.
The four officers have been reassigned while investigations continue.
Mess up: Initial findings showed that the men,
including their commanding officer, had not followed standard procedure,
according to a Navy statement
Potential damages: The US could face a fine of
more than $2 million for damaging the Tubbataha Reef, which is a Unesco
World Heritage site
The last piece of the mine countermeasures ship was lifted out of a reef in the Philippines last Saturday.
After the vessel ran aground the Navy was left with no other option than to cut the ship into pieces to remove it from the water.
The final section of the hull, which weighs about 250 tons, was removed from the reef by the U.S. salvage ship Jascon 25.
‘As the hull has been removed, the team is now shifting their effort to collecting minor debris that remains on the reef,’ Supervisor of Salvage, Captain Mark Matthews told news channel WTKR.
‘We also have a collaborative team from the U.S. and the Philippines beginning to assess the condition of the reef,’ he said.
Shipwrecked: The vessel ran aground in January
and the Navy was left with no other option than to cut the ship into
pieces to remove it from the water.
Final piece: The last piece of the former
USS Guardian mine countermeasures ship was lifted out of a reef in the
Philippines on Saturday, March 30
‘Every salvage operation presents unique challenges. It has been difficult to extract the Guardian without causing further damage to the reef, but the U.S. Navy and SMIT salvage team with support from other companies and the government of the Philippines have really done a superb job,’ said Matthews.
‘I could not be more proud,’ he added.
'We continue to work closely with the Philippine Coast Guard, Navy, and Tubbataha Reef Park Rangers, and we are grateful for the support we have received to remove Guardian and minimize further damage to the reef,’ Matthews told the news channel.
Several other ships, including the USNS Safeguard, the SMIT Borneo, the Trabajador, the Intrepid, and the Archon Tide joined the Jascon 25 to assist in the clean-up operation.
The area the ship came aground on is a ‘unique example of an atoll reef with a very high density of marine species,’ according to Unesco.
Part of the area serves as a nesting site for birds and marine turtles.
Clean operation: No fuel has leaked since the
grounding and all of the approximately 15,000 gallons aboard Guardian
were safely transferred off the ship in the early days of the salvage
operation