Officials Rush To Fix Leaky Aircraft Carrier In Alameda Before El Niño Rains Arrive

ALAMEDA (CBS/AP) -- Officials are racing to fix the deck of a retired U.S. aircraft carrier that now functions as a museum on San Francisco Bay.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported Friday that the U.S.S. Hornet's 100,000-square-foot teak flight deck has sprung leaks. Officials say they need to fix the leaks before the arrival of what is expected to be heavy rain caused by El Niño.

The foundation that owns the ship now docked in Alameda has hired a contractor to patch the deck, which has withstood thousands of aircraft landings. The Navy vessel served during World War II and was retired in 1970.

Crews are working between storms to apply a coating to the deck that is expected to serve as a fix for the next couple of years.

Alameda