Discover the Hos-Rosebud: Ratings & Maritime News

On the afternoon of February 8, 2023, the offshore ship HOS Rosebud departed from Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story in Norfolk, Virginia, on a critical mission to the crash site of a Chinese spy balloon located off the coast of South Carolina. The vessel is equipped with advanced salvage unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) and other specialized systems designed to retrieve substantial pieces of debris from the ocean floor. This operation is particularly focused on the surveillance apparatus that was attached beneath the balloon, believed to weigh several thousand pounds. The Chinese balloon, approximately 200 feet in height, was shot down by an Air Force F-22 Raptor on February 4, resulting in its debris falling into roughly 50 feet of water within U.S. territorial waters near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Since the incident, U.S. Navy divers, warships, and Coast Guard cutters have been deployed in the vicinity of the debris field to facilitate a comprehensive recovery operation. On the same day the HOS Rosebud set sail, the amphibious warship USS Carter Hall (LSD-50) and the patrol vessel USCGC Yellowfin (WPB-87319) were reportedly stationed near the site of the balloon's takedown. Coast Guard cutters, including USCGC Venturous (WMEC-625), USCGC Richard Snyder (WPC-1127), and USCGC Nathan B. Bruckenthal (WPC-1128), have also been active in securing the area and ensuring the safety of the operation. Meanwhile, the Navy's surveillance ship USNS Pathfinder (T-AGS-60), along with the guided-missile destroyer USS Oscar Austin (DDG-79) and guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG-58), were present shortly after the crash but have since vacated the site. As of the evening of February 8, the USNS Pathfinder was seen heading north along the North Carolina coast. Conditions on February 7 allowed for divers and explosive ordnance technicians to initiate underwater salvage and recovery efforts, with unmanned underwater vehicles continuing to survey the area. The USS Carter Hall is currently leading the recovery operations, while U.S. Coast Guard cutters remain on-site to provide security. FBI and NCIS agents are actively cataloging the debris recovered thus far and preparing it for further evaluation and processing.