CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — A former Navy torpedo recovery vessel that spent years stuck in the marsh will now serve as home to marine life off the coast, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
The Navy torpedo recovery vessel, known as HAZAR, will now be a part of the state’s Marine Artificial Reef Program. First abandoned for more than four years, it was recently removed from the marsh following an SCDNR investigation that resulted in the arrest of the responsible party.
Before it could be sunk, HAZAR went through extensive environmental cleaning. Crews removed all fuel, fuel cells, hydraulic fluids, motors and other material that may pose a threat to the marine environment. Once done, it ensured the vessel was safe for marine life as a reef structure…