US Navy FINALLY recovers spy plane stuck in Hawaii bay two weeks after it overshot Marine base runway and 'destroyed' endangered ocean coral - as crews find a dead sea turtle at recovery site

The US Navy has finally recovered a spy plane that crashed into the sea after overshooting a runway in Hawaii two weeks ago. 

But the extraction has cost an estimated $1.5million and, as a sea turtle is found dead onsite, experts warn the plane has damaged the endangered ocean coral. 

The US Navy P-8A plane missed its mark while attempting to land at a US Marines base, located ten miles from Honolulu, on November 20. 

For two weeks it sat floating in Kaneohe Bay - home to coral reefs and a range of marine life, from sharks to octopus and fish.

Its wheels lodged in the coral bed and Navy contractors had to design a complex inflatable and rope system to float it to the surface and remove it from the water. 

It took 13 hours to remove the plane using a complex system of giant inflatable cylinders to move it out the water

The plane floated in the bay for nearly two weeks after crashing off the runway into the water

Officials said the removal operation took 13 hours starting around 6.30am Saturday.

'Our team went through a detailed planning process to develop the best course of action to get the P-8 out of the bay as quickly and as safely as possible,' Rear Adm. Kevin P. Lenox, the salvage operation’s on-scene commander, said.

'At times, it took us an hour to move the aircraft five feet.'

The Navy estimated the total cost of the operation will be $1.5million as they focus on preserving the aircraft so it can return to service once removed.

But the cost to marine life has been high too, and on Thursday, a 'deceased sea turtle' was found 'floating between' two of the Navy barriers around the plane.

'This one is unfortunate. DLNR observers this morning found a deceased sea turtle floating in between two of our barriers,' Lenox said. 

'I have no information on the cause of death on that particular sea turtle. DLNR did report a sick sea turtle struggling in the vicinity yesterday, we suspect that may be related. 

The plane's wheels became lodged in the coral sea bed making the extraction harder 

The Navy is hopeful that the plane is undamaged enough to return to service after being removed from the water

'Hawaiian Marine and Animal Recovery team has taken custody of that and they'll make an assessment and if necessary we will do a necropsy on that turtle to find out why it passed.'

It is unclear why the plane crashed - it had nine people on board at the time and was conducting 'routine training.'

All of the staff managed to swim to shore and were unharmed. 

One expert speculated that the bad weather and winds made it harder to land on the shorter than average runway at Kaneohe. 

After the crash, local residents began warning about the risk to the local wildlife, which includes several endangered species. 

The area also hosts an ancient Hawaiian fishpond being restored by community groups. 

Kahaluu resident Jonee Kaina told Hawaii News Now: 'I think someone needs to take a look at the impact the plane is doing to our marine life. There is jet fuel, anti-freeze and other toxins.' 

Speaking at the time, Rear Admiral Lenox told Honolulu Civil Beat the crash damaged some coral, but they were doing all they could to limit damage to the 'critical ecosystem and a cherished part of the local community.'

The plane's wheels became lodged in the coral bed

The US Navy released underwater footage last week, showing the plane's tires lodged in the coral as fish navigate through rock fissures.

The video 'depicts the two points of contact the aircraft has with the coral and the remainder of the aircraft floating above,' authorities said. 

The P-8A, a Poseidon reconnaissance plane used for intelligence, is manufactured by Boeing and shares many parts with the 737 commercial jet. 

Marine Corps Base Kaneohe is home to over 25,000 Marines, sailors, family members and civilian employees.