11/11/2026 | HISTORIC OCEAN LINER SS UNITED STATES SCUTTLED TO FORM WORLD'S LARGEST ARTIFICIAL REEF

DESTIN, Fla. — As of 3:03 p.m. EST on November 11, 2026, scuttling operations are currently unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 22 nautical miles southwest of Destin-Fort Walton Beach.

Crews are actively scuttling the historic 990-foot ocean liner SS United States. The vessel which is roughly 100 feet longer than the Titanic is taking on water in a controlled, engineered procedure designed to lower the ship to its final resting place 180 feet below the ocean's surface.

Weather Shift Acceleration Deployments were originally slated for Thursday, November 12. However, project directors hastened the schedule to Wednesday, November 11, due to a severe weather forecast featuring heavy winds and hazardous sea conditions in the northern Gulf.

No Explosives Used Unlike traditional military ship sinkings, federal environmental and safety laws prohibited the use of demolition explosives on the vessel. Over several months in Mobile, Alabama, marine engineers removed environmental hazards, stripped 400 portholes, detached the iconic 65-foot twin funnels, and cut 10-foot internal flow gaps across the decks. The current sinking relies on open flood valves to gradually submerge the hull while keeping it upright.

A New Chapter for an American Icon Launched in 1952, the SS United States captured the Blue Riband on its maiden voyage by setting a transatlantic speed record that remains unbeaten to this day. After decades sitting idle along a pier in Philadelphia, Okaloosa County acquired the vessel to anchor a massive marine habitat initiative.

The ocean liner's high-grade steel structure will soon serve as an artificial habitat for amberjack, tuna, and red snapper, while attracting recreational divers from around the globe. The top decks of the vessel will rest approximately 55 to 60 feet below the surface, making it accessible to novice and expert divers alike. Preserved artifacts, including the ship's massive smokestacks, will anchor a land-based museum in Destin-Fort Walton Beach.