Lake Havasu City residents were surprised to see a large crane on the island Wednesday, lowering an old military aircraft into the lake near Site Six.

The Bureau of Land Management submerged the A6 Avenger aircraft near the Site Six fishing piers for use as fishing habitat.

It’s the latest addition to a robust fishing program in Lake Havasu, which has included the use of old Christmas trees and other structures to encourage fish breeding. An official from the BLM’s Lake Havasu City Office confirmed the agency’s involvement in placing the plane in the lake, but referred questions for further details to Field Office Manager Jason West, who was not available on Wednesday afternoon.

According to Jon Davis, a local diver, it was a collaboration between several agencies in the area. Davis posted photos of the plane entering the water on Facebook, and his post quickly went viral. According to previous reports in Today’s News-Herald, more than 600,000 Mohave County visitors and residents reported fishing Mohave County waters in 2019, collectively spending $95.8 million. The fishing industry provides more than 2,017 jobs throughout Mohave County, generating $21.2 million in wages and salaries for residents, according to Game and Fish records.