Navy sinks retired warship for reef off Florida

Wed May 17, 2006 02:40 PM ET

MIAMI (Reuters) - The Navy blasted holes in the retired aircraft carrier Oriskany off Florida's coast on Wednesday and sent the warship to the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico as the world's largest intentionally created artificial reef.

The 888-foot, 32,000-ton combat veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars took about 35 minutes to settle below the surface after crews set off 22 small explosive charges in her hull, Navy spokeswoman Pat Dolan said.

The rusting ship, decommissioned in 1976, was expected to settle upright in 212 feet of water, which would put her highest point about 60 feet under the surface for the recreational divers who will explore the vessel in the future.

"There was a puff of smoke that came out of the carrier when they set off the charges," she said. "The divers will go down tomorrow to check the orientation of the ship." Dozens of boats ferried U.S. war veterans out to the site, 24 miles off Pensacola, Florida, to witness the sinking.

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