That's what it looks like. The horizontal stabilizer.
Things get heavy as they are pulled out of the water. That's why you need a net to pull a fish out of the water, without breaking your line, when you catch a big one.
It's a tough recovery, and I'm sure they have to improvise as best they can, as the weather probably limits their ability to have all the equipment they need at the right place at the right time. God bless 'em.