SAN DIEGO (AP) – The U.S. Navy dismantled the USS Bonhomme Richard on Wednesday in San Diego nine months after flames engulfed it in a recent memory in one of the worst U.S. warship fires outside of combat.
The ceremony at the San Diego Naval Base was not open to the public, and the Navy cites concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.
The amphibious assault ship is expected to be towed to a shipyard in Texas for dismantling.
The ship, which caught fire on July 12, burned for four days, leaving behind major structural, electrical and mechanical damage. A Navy official said arson was probably the cause.
The Navy estimates that the ship’s repair will cost more than $ 2.5 billion. The dismantling of the ship is expected to cost about $ 30 million.
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