Historic US ship that once ruled the Atlantic faces extraordinary fate near Florida

The SS United States, a historic ship that was once the fastest ocean liner to cross the Atlantic, is meeting its fate Wednesday. The ship is scheduled to be sunk off Florida's coast as part of plans to make it the world's largest artificial reef, a $13.5 million project aimed at benefiting divers, fishing enthusiasts and marine life alike, according to The Associated Press (AP).Built in Virginia in 1950 and 1951, the ship in its time carried famous passengers including President John F.Kennedy, former King Edward VIII, Grace Kelly and Elizabeth Taylor.HAUNTING NEW IMAGES REVEAL THE FINAL SHIP WHERE EXPLORER SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON DIEDIt also once took a young Bill Clinton to Oxford University in 1968 before being decommissioned a year later.But in the decades since, the ship fell into disrepair.

The reef project is intended to prevent it from becoming scrap metal.The historic SS United States, once the fastest ocean liner to cross the Atlantic, is to be sunk off Florida's coast to become an artificial reef.(Bettmann via Getty Images)The SS United States sat along a dock in Philadelphia from 1996 until February 2025, the AP reported.The ship is expected to sink in about 180 feet of water, roughly 25 miles southwest of Destin, Florida. Its top deck will rest about 60 feet below the surface, making it accessible to recreational divers — and it will sit near about 500 other artificial reefs.'SPECTACULAR' SHIPWRECK FOUND WITH UNDERWATER TIME CAPSULE OF UNTOUCHED CARGO: 'AMAZING FIND'Alicia Johnson, a Maine-based maritime archaeologist and head of digital engagement at Accupixel, told Fox News Digital she has mixed feelings about the ship's transformation into an artificial reef."As a scuba diver, I'm thrilled at the prospect of a new underwater site to visit and photograph, as well as the benefits it could potentially reap for the marine environment," she said."However, as a maritime archeologist, I'm concerned about preserving the historic fabric of the ship."DIVE...