In the latest hiccup in this ongoing saga, the salvaging of the USS Guardian from where it ran aground January 17 has been delayed due to problems with a salvaging crane.
An anonymous Coast Guard official told the Stars and Stripes that crews have been unable to anchor the salvage crane vessel Smit Borneo to the sea floor. So they've sent for another salvage crane vessel named Jascon 25, postponing the operation for another week.
Although he wouldn't specifically comment on the postponement, Navy spokesman Lt. Frederick Martin sent an email to Stars and Stripes saying:
“This is a dynamic environment where weather and sea states can change quickly, so it would be speculative to discuss specific time lines on the dismantling process.
“While the inability of the Smit Borneo to be moored affects the plan, we are adjusting our operations accordingly, including bringing in the second crane, Jascon 25, earlier than originally planned. Jascon 25 is already underway and moving toward the site.”
As Home Post has previously reported, the Guardian ran aground last month on Tubbataha Reef while transiting the Sulu Sea, approximately 80 miles east-southeast of Palawan Island.
