The Navy recovered a fighter jet from a depth of almost 10,000 feet in the Mediterranean Sea after it had been blown off the deck of an aircraft carrier last month during heavy weather, officials said Monday.
The F/A-18E Super Hornet was aboard the USS Harry S. Truman on July 8 when it went into the water, Navy officials said.
A Navy salvage team used a CURV-21 remotely operated submersible vehicle to attach specialized rigging lines to the jet and hoist it aboard the Everest, a civilian-owned, multipurpose construction vessel.
“Our task-tailored team operated safely and efficiently to meet the timeline. The search and recovery took less than 24 hours, a true testament to the team’s dedication and capability,” LCdr. Miguel Lewis, salvage officer for the 6th Fleet, said in a statement.
The recovered Super Hornet was taken to an unidentified military base near the scene of the recovery where it will be transported to the U.S., Navy officials said.