Removal of downed crane underway

Courtesy of Sea Tow

Crews attach air bags to an underwater crane in an attempt to remove it on Wednesday. Lynchburg Crane then planned to pull the crane, which sunk to the bottom of the lake in October, onto shore.

Crews were working this week to remove a crane that sunk to the bottom of the lake on Oct. 5. Divers from Glenn Underwater Services of Charlotte, N.C., attached air bags to the crane near B19 on Tuesday. Sea Tow pulled the floating crane down the Blackwater to Lakeside Marina in Penhook. On Wednesday, Lynchburg Crane planned to pull the crane onto shore.

The crane fell into the lake on Oct. 5, taking its operator with it. Dale "Peanut" Goad was found dead about two hours later outside the crane's cabin in about 40 feet of water, according to Franklin County's Public Safety Department. Goad was using the crane, which was aboard a barge, to remove old dock pilings.