HONOLULU — New images of a U.S. Navy seaplane that sank during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor show a coral-encrusted engine and reef fish swimming in and out of a hull.
Office of National Marine Sanctuaries maritime archaeologist Hans Van Tilburg says the video and photos are the clearest images to date of the Catalina PBY-5 seaplane.
The site isn't publicly accessible, so the images allow scientists to share the wreckage with others. They also help with documenting a historically significant wreck over time.
The plane sits in 30 feet of water in Kaneohe Bay.
This June 12, 2015, image taken from video provided by NOAA shows a U.S. Navy seaplane that sank in Hawaii waters during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Photo Credit: NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries via AP
Van Tilburg says there are signs someone started the port engine before the plane sank. This indicates a crew might have died while attempting to take off.
The plane could hold an eight-man crew and was also called a "flying boat."
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