Salvage industry nearing end of monumental Katrina cleanup

摘要

Almost a year after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf coast, the largest commercial salvage mission in United States' history is nearly complete. As of Aug. 1, about 20 commercial vessels remain to be recovered in Louisiana and 14 in Alabama. In the wake of the two hurricanes there were between 3,000 and 3,500 commercial vessel casualties in the states of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, according to Capt. Jim Wilkins, director of the U.S. Navy Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), which was called in by the U.S. Coast Guard to help coordinate the salvage effort. That figure includes over 2,000 barges.