The stern of the USS Guardian, the last piece of grounded ship, is removed by a crane vessel on Saturday, March 30. The U.S. Navy minesweeper became trapped on a reef off the western Philippine island of Palawan on January 17. The Navy has pledged to clean up debris and restore the reef as much as possible.
End of the USS Guardian —
The stern of the USS Guardian, the last piece of grounded ship, is removed by a crane vessel on Saturday, March 30. The U.S. Navy minesweeper became trapped on a reef off the western Philippine island of Palawan on January 17. The Navy has pledged to clean up debris and restore the reef as much as possible.
SP3 Kelby Sanders/U.S. Navy
A crane vessel lifts the bow of the USS Guardian on Tuesday, March 26.
End of the USS Guardian —
A crane vessel lifts the bow of the USS Guardian on Tuesday, March 26.
EPA/PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD/LANDOV
The crane vessel pulls the bow off the ship on March 26.
End of the USS Guardian —
The crane vessel pulls the bow off the ship on March 26.
Phillippine Coast Guard
The crane vessel removes a hull section on Wednesday, March 27. The U.S. Navy expects the Guardian to be completely removed from Tubbataha Reef by mid-April, an official says.
End of the USS Guardian —
The crane vessel removes a hull section on Wednesday, March 27. The U.S. Navy expects the Guardian to be completely removed from Tubbataha Reef by mid-April, an official says.
Phillippine Coast Guard
The U.S. Navy and Philippines authorities are working to dismantle the ship.
End of the USS Guardian —
The U.S. Navy and Philippines authorities are working to dismantle the ship.
Anderson Bomjardim/US Navy
Brandon Berry grinds through steel in the engine room in preparation for removing machinery.
End of the USS Guardian —
Brandon Berry grinds through steel in the engine room in preparation for removing machinery.
Jonah Stepanik/U.S. Navy
The USS Guardian's funnel section is lifted Tuesday, February 26, as a task force works on removing equipment.
End of the USS Guardian —
The USS Guardian's funnel section is lifted Tuesday, February 26, as a task force works on removing equipment.
Philippines Coast Guard
The USS Guardian rocks in the waves on February 8.
End of the USS Guardian —
The USS Guardian rocks in the waves on February 8.
U.S. Navy
The Malaysian tug Vos Apollo removes diesel fuel and human wastewater from the USS Guardian on January 28.
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The Malaysian tug Vos Apollo removes diesel fuel and human wastewater from the USS Guardian on January 28.
U.S. Navy photo/Released
Waves crash against the USS Guardian in January. The minesweeper is estimated to have damaged 4,000 square meters of the Tubbataha Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
End of the USS Guardian —
Waves crash against the USS Guardian in January. The minesweeper is estimated to have damaged 4,000 square meters of the Tubbataha Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
U.S. Navy photo/Released
In this undated photo, a U.S. Navy diver moves damage control equipment and other materials to be unloaded from the USS Guardian.
End of the USS Guardian —
In this undated photo, a U.S. Navy diver moves damage control equipment and other materials to be unloaded from the USS Guardian.
Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kelby Sanders/U.S. Navy
The Guardian on the Tubbataha Reef on January 19 in a handout photo from the Philippines military.
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The Guardian on the Tubbataha Reef on January 19 in a handout photo from the Philippines military.
AFP PHOTO/WESCOM/Getty Images
Anti-riot police disperse protesters in front of the U.S. Embassy in Manila on Friday, January 25. The Filipinos were demonstrating against the grounded U.S. Navy minesweeper and called for the pullout of American troops stationed in the Philippines. They splattered the police with paint.
End of the USS Guardian —
Anti-riot police disperse protesters in front of the U.S. Embassy in Manila on Friday, January 25. The Filipinos were demonstrating against the grounded U.S. Navy minesweeper and called for the pullout of American troops stationed in the Philippines. They splattered the police with paint.
Romeo Ranoco/reuters/landov
Malaysian tug Vos Apollo, foreground, prepares to help remove fuel from the USS Guardian while a U.S. Navy boat approaches with a salvage team on Thursday, January 24.
End of the USS Guardian —
Malaysian tug Vos Apollo, foreground, prepares to help remove fuel from the USS Guardian while a U.S. Navy boat approaches with a salvage team on Thursday, January 24.
Geoffrey Trudell/AFP PHOTO/US NAVY
A U.S. Navy salvage assessment team boards the USS Guardian on Wednesday, January 23, in the Sulu Sea.
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A U.S. Navy salvage assessment team boards the USS Guardian on Wednesday, January 23, in the Sulu Sea.
Geoffrey Trudell/AFP PHOTO/US NAVY/Getty images
A member of the Philippines coast guard approaches the USS Guardian on Tuesday, January 22, in a handout picture from the Philippines coast guard.
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A member of the Philippines coast guard approaches the USS Guardian on Tuesday, January 22, in a handout picture from the Philippines coast guard.
REUTERS/Philippine Coast Guard/Handout/Landov
A diver from the Philippines coast guard measures coral damage on the Tubbataha Reef on January 22 in another handout photo. The reef is a Philippines national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
End of the USS Guardian —
A diver from the Philippines coast guard measures coral damage on the Tubbataha Reef on January 22 in another handout photo. The reef is a Philippines national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
REUTERS/Philippine Coast Guard/Handout/Landov
Student activists scuffle with police in front of the U.S. Embassy in Manila during a January 19 protest condemning the minesweeper's grounding.
End of the USS Guardian —
Student activists scuffle with police in front of the U.S. Embassy in Manila during a January 19 protest condemning the minesweeper's grounding.
NOEL CELIS/AFP/Getty Images