Buffalo Naval Park Ship On The Brink of Sinking

Some sad and rather shocking news on Friday from the Buffalo Naval Park.

WGRZ is reporting that the USS Sullivans is on the brink of sinking. There are several leaks as the ship is leaning noticeably on its port side.

The real problem with the leaks is the fact the park is having a difficult time keeping up with pumping out enough water from the damage. In fact, the ship is in need of "emergency repairs" at a cost of $100,000, just to keep it afloat, so that they can look for long-term repairs for the USS Sullivans.

The long-term repairs will run a cost of $1 million. The Buffalo Naval Park is waiting for final funding from a variety of sources to get those long-term repairs done.

“Routine hull maintenance is required with ships of this age,” said park president and CEO Paul Marzello Marzello. “The harsh Buffalo winter weather has severely damaged the hull of USS The Sullivans below the waterline so there is significant water coming into the ship. She is currently listing to port quite noticeably. If we cannot repair the hull and stop the water, she will sink.”

You can help save the USS Sullivans.

According to the park, they're having an "All Hands on Deck" initiative to help support funds to make necessary repairs. Right now, they're looking to raise $100,000.

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My dad is a United States Navy veteran, so ships like the USS The Sullivans are near and dear to my heart. This story makes me incredibly sad and I'm holding out hope the ship gets the funding it needs to avoiding sinking.