MANILA, March 18 (UPI) -- Salvage teams were making progress in dismantling the reef-grounded USS Guardian but may miss their March 23 deadline, a Philippine official said.
Salvage efforts, which began in late February, have been hampered by inclement weather, the Manila Bulletin reported Monday.
A spokesman for the Philippine coast guard said a salvage team, contracted by the U.S. Navy, was clearing the Guardian's engine room and the lower deck of equipment, loose materials and debris.
More than 50 percent of the 223-foot minesweeper, which ran aground on a reef Jan. 17, has been dismantled, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported.
Cmdr. Armand Balilo said the cutting was in the final phase but but that the salvage work may extend beyond the target date for completion.
"It's hard to say it would be completed on the 23rd [of March]. The cutting is in the final phase. The ship's stability is something to consider and the safety of workers," Balilo was quoted as saying by the Bulletin.
