"SS United States": Ocean liner sunk - it will become world's largest artificial reef
It holds the record for the fastest transatlantic passage. Off the coast of Florida, the "SS United States" is now finding a new, record-breaking destination underwater.
The SS United States, a record-breaking passenger ship, has been sunk off the west coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico. The 300-meter-long vessel is to become the world's largest artificial reef, according to Okaloosa County. The ship was deliberately sunk 22 nautical miles southwest of Destin, after modifications allowed water to flood in, and can be viewed on YouTube.
The ship, which set a transatlantic record in 1952, was decommissioned in 1969 and purchased by Okaloosa County in 2024 for this purpose. The wreck is expected to provide a habitat for marine life and a diving site, with a museum planned on land.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- SS United States: Why the historic ship is sinking economictimes.indiatimes.com
- 8 Florida artificial reef dives, from the SS United States to the Keys qz.com
