Historic ocean liner to ‘live on’ beneath waves as world’s biggest artificial reef
Summary
The SS United States was being towed from Mobile, Alabama, to a site off Destin, Florida, where officials planned to sink it as an artificial reef. The former ocean liner, which still holds the record for the fastest transatlantic crossing by a passenger liner, is also expected to be commemorated with a shore-based museum and diving trips.Key Facts
- Five tugboats moved the ship from Mobile on Monday toward a site about 25 miles off Destin.
- Officials planned to sink the ship on Wednesday using controlled flooding, without explosives.
- The vessel is 990 feet long and is expected to rest at a depth of about 180 feet.
- The ship set its record in July 1952, crossing the Atlantic eastbound in three days, 10 hours and 40 minutes at an average speed of nearly 36 knots.
- The liner left service in 1969 as passenger numbers declined and transatlantic air travel grew.
- After preservation proposals failed and the ship was evicted from a Philadelphia dock in 2024, Florida’s Okaloosa County bought it for $1 million.
- Preparation work in Mobile included removing interior fixtures and toxic materials.
- Plans include a shore-based museum featuring the ship’s funnels and artifacts, along with a pier for diving trips.
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