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National Park Service officials plan to reopen tours to the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor starting at 7:30 a.m. Friday, after more than a week of repairs to the site’s floating dock and brow.
“The National Park Service deeply appreciates the dedicated efforts of the U.S. Navy and others to get this repair done as quickly and safely as possible,” NPS Superintendent Paul DePrey said in a news release.
The Navy said it will do a visual safety check of the USS Arizona Memorial dock before tours get underway again.
The U.S. Coast Guard and Military Sealift Command are continuing to conduct investigations into the cause of the accident that occurred before the tours began on the morning of May 27, when the hospital ship USNS Mercy was leaving Pearl Harbor with assistance from two tugboats.
The Navy said strong propeller wash from the ship caused the floating dock to strike the memorial.
Navy officials are still looking at whether the ship also struck the floating dock.
Stan Keeve, commander of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, said he was grateful for the public’s patience.
“We certainly appreciate the understanding and forbearance of veterans, visitors and kamaaina,” Keeve said.
Up to 4,350 tickets are available daily to visit the memorial, which is accessed via a short boat ride from shore.
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