Divers clear shipwreck debris from coral reef during calm ‘weather window’
The vessel became grounded on July 17 at Johnson's Reef, a large offshore patch reef located about a half-mile north of St. John and within the Virgin Islands National Park.
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VIRGIN ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK – On Monday, the National Park Service announced that divers will take advantage of a calm sea "weather window" to continue clearing debris from a sailing vessel that had run aground in a patch of coral reef.
The vessel became grounded on July 17 at Johnson's Reef, a large offshore patch reef located about a half-mile north of St. John and within the Virgin Islands National Park. According to the NPS, the vessel grounding damaged some coral, including colonies of the endangered Elkhorn coral species.
Elkhorn coral colony at Virgin Islands National Park.
(Virgin Islands National Park / FOX Weather)
The NPS said coral colonies were removed and attached in deeper water near the grounding site to preserve the remaining coral. This relocation also created space for salvage and removal operations between the grounded sailing vessel and deeper water to the north.
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The weather then complicated operations when heavy seas from Hurricane Lee and Hurricane Franklin tore the vessel apart on Aug. 26, according to the NPS. Hull sections of the vessel had moved to a nearby site, where NPS divers were able to retrieve them in early September.
Further salvaging and removal operations are now being carried out.
Caneel Hill overlook in the Virgin Islands National Park.
(Virgin Islands National Park / FOX Weather)
"NPS divers are using a calm sea state ‘weather window’ to remove additional debris from the shallow grounding site," the NPS said. In particular, they noted that they are seeking to salvage the heavy keel and engine block of the sailing vessel.
The NPS added that the vessel grounding is part of an ongoing law enforcement investigation. They cautioned mariners venturing near Johnson's Reef, saying that the reef is surrounded by a number of lit warning buoys and must be avoided.