Crews worked Tuesday to get a Miami Air International Boeing 737-800 jetliner out of the St. Johns River following a Friday night accident.
Barges were put in place and Navy contract partners prepared the aircraft to be lifted out of the river, according to Naval Air Station Jacksonville spokeswoman Kaylee Larocque.
The plane's defueling was completed Monday night.
WJCT News partner News4Jax reported the plane, estimated to weigh 45 tons, was placed on a barge and was being taken to a secure location in Green Cove Springs.
The NAS Jacksonville airfield will remain closed to incoming aircraft until the salvage operations are completed, Larocque said.
Related
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The plane had been in the St. Johns River since sliding off the runway while landing at NAS Jacksonville, which is located on the city's Westside. All 143 passengers and crew on board survived.
The NTSB's investigation into why the Miami Air jetliner slid into the St. Johns River could take up to 18 months to complete, News4Jax reported.
Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org, 904-358-6349 or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.
