POSTED: 07:06 p.m. HST, Aug 08, 2011
LAST UPDATED: 04:35 a.m. HST, Aug 09, 2011
University of Hawaii and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration researchers have been surveying sunken airplanes and shipwrecks from World War II found along Maui's southern coast.
The Office of National Marine Sanctuaries said Monday the survey team produced scaled drawings and took photographs of six wreck sites. They saw a carrier-based dive bomber, a carrier-based fighter plane and three amphibious assault vehicles.
Their work will be used to evaluate the wrecks for deterioration, and help officials identify when artifacts have been moved or go missing.
The two-week survey provided UH students with hands-on training in maritime archaeology surveying techniques.
U.S. Marines and Army soldiers prepared for major World War II campaigns in the Pacific by training in landing craft and assault vehicles along Maui's southern coast.