Earlier today the ship USNS Hoyt S. Vandenberg, was sunk about 7 miles off the coast of Key West making it the world’s second-largest intentionally sunk artificial reef. The vessel was originally built during WWII for troop transport but wikipedia sheds light on her subsequent, more interesting, mission:

On 1 July 1964, General Hoyt S. Vandenberg was acquired by the Navy and designated T-AGM-10, as a Missile Range Instrumentation Ship, one of ten such ships transferred from the Commander, Air Force Eastern Test Range, to MSTS. “Equipped with extremely accurate and discriminating radar and telemetry equipment,” she tracked and analyzed “re-entry bodies in the terminal phase of ballistic missile test flights,” carrying out those missile and spacecraft tracking duties in both Atlantic and Pacific waters until her retirement in 1983.[2] She was ultimately stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 29 April 1993.

In 1998, some scenes of the horror/sci-fi film Virus were filmed aboard the ex-General Hoyt S. Vandenberg. The ship substituted for a Russian vessel known as the Akademik Vladislav Volkov, and some of the Cyrillic lettering applied for the film is still visible on the hull today.

Today’s sinking of this historic cold war relic was caught on film by the team at SinkTheVandenberg.com. Here is a preview of the event:

The vessel now sits in 140 feet of clear water and will serve to attract fish, divers and relieve recreational pressure on nearby natural reefs.  Officials expect it to generate up to $8 million in tourism-related revenue for Key West and the state of Florida. The following image will give you an impression of the vessels size:

The following vessel drawing sheds light on the various missile tracking systems found aboard the ship. Click on the photo for the full size image.

More photos of the ship can be found HERE and HERE but we have also attached additional video below.

USNS Vandenberg Video

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Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

With over nine years of planning completed Texas A&M‘s training ship the Texas Clipper was prepared to start her new life as an artificial reef. Texas Parks and Wildlife writes; “A small armada of boats carried curious visitors to the site as officials from the USCG and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service observed the reefing. A helicopter hovered overhead to capture an aerial view of the event for the media and those who could not venture onto the Gulf waters. A number of former crew members of the ship made it through the rough seas aboard chartered and private vessels to witness the transition to her fourth and final life as home to sea life and a destination for divers and anglers.”

Only there was a problem…

Today’s Houston Chronicle tells us;

A World War II ship purposely sunk in the Gulf of Mexico to create an artificial reef has tipped onto its side, blocking access to the interior for fish and divers.

The sinking capped years of problems, including an unplanned sinking near Beaumont and a $600,000 cleanup of hazardous chemicals.

State officials were hoping the Clipper would become a destination for divers and boost local tourism by an estimated $30 million per year. It was meant to stand upright so divers and fish could explore the 80-foot high, 473-foot long ship by swimming through decks and cabins.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department spokesman Aaron Reed said it was unclear what caused the ship to tip. The sinking of the ship has already cost the state about $4 million.

Tim O’Leary, owner of a dive shop on the coast, had expected the wreck to keep his business busy into December. But the ship is on its side now, more suited for skilled cave divers. Continue Reading…

Links:

Sea-Fever has Video footage of the Texas Clipper Sinking

Texas Clipper Ship Project Homepage

Texas Clipper – Online Tour

Ships2Reefs Program