SS United States Sinks Off Florida to Become Artificial Reef

The SS United States sank in the Gulf of Mexico off Florida on Wednesday, Nov. 11, after a controlled operation that took several hours. The 990-foot ocean liner submerged at about 9 p.m., becoming the centerpiece of a $13.5 million project to create an artificial reef and attract divers and fishing enthusiasts.

The vessel leaned to one side before disappearing beneath the water, according to reports from the scene. Organizers had expected the sinking could take as little as an hour. Nick Tomecek, an Okaloosa County spokesperson, said crews filled 128 fuel and lubricant tanks with water to help the ship settle evenly, slowing its descent.

The county moved the operation forward by a day because of forecast strong winds and potentially unsafe marine conditions. A preservation group filed a last-minute lawsuit seeking to stop the sinking, but a judge dismissed it. The planned museum and the wreck’s future ecological effects remain outstanding: organizers intend to use the ship’s removed smokestacks in a museum, while the project’s marine and tourism benefits are stated aims rather than reported results.

Before the sinking, workers removed more than 400 portholes and cut openings...