‘US minesweeper will be removed by Mar.23’—Philippine Coast Guard

In a photo released by the U.S. Navy, the mine countermeasures ship USS Guardian sits aground in this Jan. 22, 2013 file photo on the Tubbataha Reef in the Sulu Sea in the Philippines. AP Photo/U.S. Navy. Naval Aircrewman 3rd Class Geoffrey Trudell

MANILA, Philippines—The grounded United States minesweeper USS Guardian will be extricated from Tubbataha Reefs by March 23, the Philippine Coast Guard said Tuesday.

PCG spokesman Lt. Cmdr Armand Balilo said in a text message to reporters that the US counterparts have already submitted a revised salvage plan for the ship.

“In the revised plan, Jascon 25 is the main asset to dismantle USS Guardian. Timeline removal operations to be completed by March 23,” Balilo said.

The crane ship Jascon 25 is expected to arrive on Friday from Singapore.

Salvage operations have been earlier put on hold to wait for the said ship.

The US minesweeper ran aground the heritage site on Jan. 17.