Confederate sub raised again, but only a few feet

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — The Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley has been raised slightly from a tank of water in preparation for it to be rotated.

Workers at a conservation lab in North Charleston raised submarine 3 feet out of its conservation tank on Wednesday. That will allow supports to be placed beneath the vessel so it can be rotated upright by the end of next week.

The submarine sank on its side and has been in that position since it was raised a decade ago. Scientists say examining the side they haven’t seen may provide clues as to why it sank in 1864 with its crew of eight.

The Hunley went down after sinking the Union blockade ship Housatonic. It was the first sub in history to sink an enemy warship.