Marathon In Early Stages Of Scuttling Ship To Create An Artificial Reef
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MARATHON (CBSMiami/AP) — Scuba divers love the Florida Keys for their variety of sea life and sunken ships.
Now another ship scuttling to create an artificial reef may be destined for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
Marathon city officials began planning to file for permits this week with the sanctuary, Army Corps of Engineers and other agencies to execute a signature artificial reef project off their coast.
The Marathon City Council voted Tuesday to support the permit application process. The vessel and exact site have yet to be identified, and the endeavor, if permitted and funded, is likely to take several years.
The 524-foot Vandenberg was scuttled almost 10 years ago off Key West. The 510-foot Spiegel Grove was positioned off Key Largo in 2001. In between the two regions, other ships have been sunk, but there has never been a major artificial reef project off Marathon.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)