The ocean liner SS United States is slated to be sunk in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida, where it will become the largest artificial reef in the world. The Associated Press reports, citing the authorities of Okaloosa County.
The vessel is to be lowered to the seabed during the second week of November, about 41 kilometers southwest of the city of Destin, although the timing may shift because of the weather. Supporters of the project expect that over time the liner will become encrusted with marine organisms and emerge as one of the main attractions for divers among the more than five hundred artificial reefs already existing in the region.
Supporters of the project hope that the scuttled ship will draw tourists who will spend millions of dollars on diving equipment, sport fishing and hotel accommodation.
The SS United States, roughly 305 meters long, set a record for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic on its very first voyage in 1952. Heritage organizations tried to save the ship but were unable to do so because of the high costs.
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