The planned sinking of the iconic USS has been moved up one day from Thursday, November 12, to Wednesday, November 11, 2026. This decision was made due to the expected increase in wind and potentially dangerous weather conditions in the second half of the week. The controlled flood operation is now scheduled to begin at 1:00 PM CST on Wednesday, November 11 - Veterans Day.
On the morning of Monday, November 9, the historic ocean liner left Mobile, Alabama, in tow, and set out on her final journey after 74 years of "life" on the water. The event took place after nearly 20 months of extensive preparation work, removing peeling paint, hazardous materials and other potentially harmful materials from the vessel to prepare it for its new role as an artificial reef.
The 990-foot vessel is now being moved to its final resting place, about 22 nautical miles southwest of Destin-Fort Walton Beach, Florida. After sinking, it is expected to become the largest artificial reef in the world.