WWII-era ship to become sunken reef off Key West

[May 27, 2009]  KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) -- A ship last used by the U.S. Air Force to track missiles and spacecraft will soon become the world's second-largest intentionally sunk artificial reef.

Crews plan to sink the decommissioned Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg on Wednesday morning about seven miles off Key West. Officials hope it will attract fish and divers and relieve recreational pressure on nearby natural reefs.

Explosives will be detonated to flood the 17,000-ton, 523-foot-long ship that was first built as a cargo ship in World War II. It's expected to settle on the sandy bottom in 140 feet of clear water.

Officials in the Florida Keys expect it to generate up to $8 million in tourism-related revenue, mostly from divers and related businesses.

[Associated Press]

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