However, the lift ended disastrously when rough weather caused the ropes supporting the bags to snap.[56] At the moment the ropes broke, the hull section had been lifted to within only 200 feet (60 m) of the surface.[54] It hurtled 12,000 feet (3,700 m) back down,[59] embedding itself upright on the sea floor.[54][56] The attempt was strongly criticised by marine archaeologists, scientists, and historians as a money-making publicity stunt;[48][4][5][54][6] several publications compared the event to grave robbing,[52][54][55][56] and Ballard called the event "a carnival" and stated that "We tried to put it to rest, but this perpetuates the tragedy."[55][7] A second, successful attempt to lift the fragment was carried out in 1998.[48][49] The so-called "Big Piece" was conserved in a laboratory in Santa Fe for two years before being put on display at the Luxor Las Vegas hotel and casino.[60]