TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale Recovers downed Aircraft

TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale, a Broward County based company, successfully completed another airplane salvage. This time a Cessna Caravan aircraft crashed into the water west of Chub Cay on the Bahama Bank. Two people were aboard during the water landing and both got out unhurt.

TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale’s 96’ Salvage Tug, Richard L. Becker, equipped with a 71/2 ton crane, responded to the crash site along with a salvage team. Salvage Divers found numerous pieces of wreckage. The Richard L. Becker recovered the smaller pieces of the wreckage beginning with the engine, propeller and the right wing; these parts were torn from the plane on impact. The fuselage was brought aboard our vessel with the left wing still intact. “Although aircraft salvage is challenging, the team executed the salvage plan with complete success.” stated Kevin Collins, Director of Operations. “Because the aluminum is usually badly torn it is sharp and poses a serious hazard to the divers. We were careful and no one was even scratched”.

The wreckage was brought back to the United States and offloaded to be transported to a hanger where officials could complete their investigation.