Officials sink ship off Florida coast to create artificial reef, strengthen habitat for marine life

Officials in Destin, Florida, said they sunk a large ship on Tuesday, April 18, in order to create an artificial reef.

“Marine life seeks out structures to live and thrive,” the Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners said in a post on Facebook, “These artificial structures provide that habitat for these creatures.

It provides marine life with a robust ecosystem that was previously lacking off the shores of our beaches in the Gulf of Mexico.” Footage released by the board shows the RMS Cyclops being sunk into the Gulf of Mexico.

The vessel is now 72 feet deep, and four nautical miles offshore, county officials said.

Credit: Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners via Storyful