FC2Video

http://fla-keys.com
Aerial, on-board and underwater video of the sinking of the 2nd largest artificial reef just off the coast of Key West. This 13-year project to create a new artificial reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary finally ended May 27, 2009, with the intentional sinking of the former missile-tracking ship the Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg. The 523-foot-long ship is situated about seven miles south of Key West. The bottom of the ship’s hull rests on sand at depths between 140 and 150 feet. But the ship is so massive that the superstructure extends to about 45 feet below the surface. Even though the process to acquire, fund, permit, rid the Vandenberg of potential environmental contaminants and tow her to Key West took 13 years, only a minute and fifty four seconds were needed to sink her after a demolition team ignited forty four explosives’ cutting charges.