Historic Supership S.S. United States Sinks to Ocean Floor as Reef

A final journey offshore

The S.S. United States descended 180 feet to the ocean floor off Destin, Fla., on Wednesday night. Its sinking marked the end of the liner’s life as a ship and the start of its planned role as an artificial reef and diving destination.

The vessel was a midcentury symbol of postwar American technology and ambition. In its heyday, it was known for speed, luxury and a reputation for being nearly indestructible.

Years of planning and dispute

The sinking followed years of preparation and planning. The effort also faced a last-minute challenge when a preservationist group filed a lawsuit seeking to stop it. A judge dismissed the suit, allowing the plan to proceed. The ship’s transition to an artificial reef ended efforts to preserve it as a vessel.

A changed profile

Before its final journey, the ship had been stripped of its distinctive red, white and blue smokestacks. They were removed for a planned museum nearby. Without the stacks, the liner appeared lower and leaner than it once had. Its length remained striking: roughly three football fields.