SS United States opens to divers off Florida coast after sinking upright

DESTIN, Fla. - The world’s largest artificial reef, the SS United States, is officially open for divers in Destin-Fort Walton Beach after sinking upright into the Gulf on Wednesday night.

Okaloosa County dive conditions

What we know:

Crews sank the historic ocean liner on Wednesday night, and Okaloosa County officials confirmed Thursday afternoon that the vessel landed upright on the seafloor.

A few divers have already begun exploring the wreck, which sits at a bottom depth of 180 feet with top decks accessible at 60 feet so novice divers can get a peek.

What we don't know:

County leaders also have not confirmed an exact opening date for a planned ocean liner museum, noting only that it will take several years to complete.

Diver reaction to SS United States reef

What they're saying:

Diver Rustin Cassway surveyed the ship underwater and confirmed it landed safely on the Gulf floor.

Cassway said seeing the vessel on the bottom of the Gulf was really special because he watched the cruise liner for years while it was docked in Philadelphia.

Okaloosa County spokesperson Nick Tomecek noted that around 500 artificial structures already rest nearby under regional waters, adding that the county is working toward becoming the top diving destination on the globe.

SS United States history

The backstory:

More than 3,000 workers constructed the ship in Virginia between 1950 and 1951, building a vessel that stands 108 feet longer than the Titanic.

Before being decommissioned in 1969, the ocean liner completed over 800 transatlantic journeys carrying royalty, political leaders and classic movie stars, including President Harry Truman’s daughter, Margaret, and an Associated Press reporter among the 1,700 passengers on its first voyage.

Past passengers ate lavish meals of caviar and roasted duck while traveling at record commercial speeds, before the ship spent decades along a Philadelphia pier following failed attempts to convert it into a floating hotel or cruise vessel.

Gulf artificial reef preparation

By the numbers:

Federal environmental and explosives laws prohibited crews from using demolition explosives to sink the hull, forcing teams to flood open valves instead.

Workers removed water-cooling tanks, sliced 10-foot by 10-foot gaps across internal decks and removed more than 400 portholes to sink the ship.

• 30° 07.148' N, 86° 46.755' W: The exact Gulf coordinates where the ship joins more than 580 artificial reef sites in Destin-Fort Walton Beach.
• $300: The approximate cost per person for early diving tours of the wreck.

Future museum and tourism

What's next:

Local leaders designed the project to attract traveling recreational divers alongside ocean anglers targeting marlin and tuna.

Okaloosa County is also building a museum to honor the ocean liner’s history that will feature the ship’s original smokestacks, though it will not open for several years.

The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Stacey Koe of Okaloosa County's Tourism Development Department, which confirmed the reef's opening to Fox News Digital on Thursday, as well as announcements and details from Okaloosa County and spokesperson Nick Tomecek.