Nov 12, 11:01 AM
Historic Ocean Liner SS United States Sunk Off Florida to Form Artificial Reef
The former transatlantic passenger flagship was scuttled off Destin after decades of preservation efforts failed to secure a floating museum role.
The historic ocean liner SS United States was intentionally scuttled on Wednesday off the coast of Destin, Florida, where it will function as the world's largest artificial ocean reef. The operation was carried out without explosives following the ship's transfer from Alabama, where it had undergone cleaning and remediation work.
The vessel, which is longer than the Titanic, spent nearly 30 years docked in Philadelphia while its future was contested in court and across various ownership changes. A local Florida county government ultimately purchased the ship to integrate it into the network of artificial reefs off the state's coast. Municipal officials also plan to create a land-based museum to document the liner's history.
Prior to its acquisition by local authorities, several proposals to convert the ocean liner into a floating hotel or museum failed to materialise. The SS United States Conservancy, an advocacy group, repeatedly sought to keep the ship afloat. Susan Gibbs, president of the conservancy and granddaughter of the ship's designer, told CBS News that the vessel had always been this unabashedly American symbol that brings so many people together, adding that she was glad its story would continue.
During its service life from 1952 until its retirement in 1969, the SS United States was the fastest passenger ship in the world and completed hundreds of Atlantic crossings. Its passenger lists included US Presidents Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, and a young Bill Clinton before his presidency. Other prominent figures who travelled on the ship included Marlon Brando, Coco Chanel, Duke Ellington, Salvador Dali, Walt Disney, Judy Garland, and Cary Grant.
The sunken liner now rests on the seabed off Destin, where local authorities anticipate it will become a habitat for marine life and an attraction for ocean divers. The scuttling completes the transition of the former flagship from an idle vessel in Philadelphia to an underwater marine project in Florida.
Written by Andreas Hofer andreas.hofer@alpineweekly.com
