WIKIARCHIVES.SPACE

A water level view of the Apollo 13 recovery operations in the South Pacific Ocean. The three astronauts have egressed their spacecraft, and astronaut Fred W. Haise Jr., lunar module pilot, has already ascended to the helicopter. The other two crewmembers await the return of the "Billy Pugh" net. Astronaut James A. Lovell Jr. (center), commander, will remain in the life raft until astronaut John L. Swigert Jr., command module pilot, has boarded the helicopter. A United States Navy underwater demolition team swimmer assist with the recovery operations. The three Apollo 13 crewmembers were flown to the USS Iwo Jima, prime recovery ship. Apollo 13 splashed down at 12:07:44 p.m. (CST), April 17, 1970, to safely conclude a perilous space flight.