00:00The SS United States, bigger than the Titanic, is now the world's largest artificial reef off Florida's coast.
00:07Crews deliberately sank the historic ocean liner Wednesday near Destin, creating a future destination for divers and marine life.
00:15The nearly 1,000-foot ship took just hours to reach the ocean floor.
00:19It now rests about 25 miles southwest of Destin, in the Gulf.
00:24But its final voyage happened a day earlier than planned because of weather conditions.
00:28The sinking followed a court decision that cleared a major obstacle to the project.
00:33A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit challenging environmental reviews and historic preservation safeguards.
00:39For the ship, it's a new role after decades out of service and the possibility of being scrapped.
00:45Okaloosa County bought the liner with plans to turn it into an artificial reef.
00:49Before that, the ship carried presidents and celebrities across the Atlantic.
00:53In 1952, it set the transatlantic speed record for passenger ships.
00:58It still holds that record.
01:00Now, instead of carrying passengers, the liner is expected to attract scuba divers exploring its history.
01:06Over time, the ship is expected to become habitat for fish and other marine life.
01:12Disclosure.
01:12This video contains stock footage and content created or enhanced using AI-assisted tools.
01:17Disclosure.
01:17Disclosure.
