A P-8A Poseidon, a large U.S. Navy surveillance aircraft, has been successfully recovered from Kaneohe Bay in Hawaii, where it crashed two weeks ago after missing the landing strip at Marine Corps Base Hawaii. The incident raised concerns about potential damage to the bay's marine ecosystem, which is home to coral reefs and a hammerhead shark breeding ground.

The Navy announced on Sunday that the aircraft has been removed from the bay by a team of military and civilian experts after meticulous planning. A diving and salvage unit, working in conjunction with specialists, spent over 12 hours carefully extracting the plane from the water and returning it to the runway.

The operation, which commenced at 6:30 a.m. local time on Saturday, involved lifting the aircraft piece by piece. The final part of the plane, the nose wheel, was raised from Kaneohe Bay at around 7 p.m. on Saturday. Rear Adm. Kevin Lenox, the on-scene commander, praised the team's efforts, emphasizing the importance of minimizing impact to the coral band adjacent to the shore.

Earlier concerns were raised due to video footage showing the plane's tires resting on coral along the sea floor. However, the Navy stated that most of the fuel had been removed from the aircraft, mitigating the risks associated with the salvage operation. An estimated 2,000 gallons of fuel were onboard when the plane crashed, but no fuel was released into the bay during the recovery process.

The cost of the salvage operation, according to a plan released by the Navy, is estimated to be around $1.5 million. As of Dec. 1, approximately $200,000 had been spent on the operation. The Navy's successful recovery of the P-8A Poseidon ensures that the bay's delicate marine ecosystem can be preserved.

The mishap serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by military forces operating in adverse weather conditions. Fortunately, in this instance, none of the nine people on board the crashed aircraft were injured. The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing, with officials working to determine the factors that led to the plane overshooting the runway during bad weather.

The recovery of the P-8A Poseidon is a testament to the expertise and collaboration between military and civilian experts. Their diligent efforts have ensured the protection of the environment and the safety of personnel involved in the operation.