Crane submerged near shipyard

PORTSMOUTH NAVAL SHIPYARD — People looking out at the back channel of the Piscataqua River may notice a different landscape today.

A 234,000-pound crane accidentally fell into about 30 feet of water, when a private contractor was trying to dismantle and remove the former shipyard crane from the area.

According to Alan Robinson, spokesman for the shipyard, the contractor was going to use the shipyard crane for salvage purposes. He was using a floating crane to lift sections of the shipyard crane.

"After removing the upper section of the salvage crane, and while attempting to load it on a barge for transit, a failure of the floating crane occurred," causing the upper section of the shipyard crane to fall into the water, Robinson said.

"It's not something that happens every day," he said.

No injuries were reported. Robinson said the contractor estimates that up to 175 gallons of diesel fuel from the floating crane leaked into the river as a result. Shipyard and local fire departments responded to the scene, as did Portsmouth Naval Shipyard oil spill recovery crews.

Robinson said the crane does not pose any hazard to boaters - and that it will likely be "a day or so" before crews can remove it.

The accident is under investigation.