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FILE - The SS United States travels along the Hudson River as it begins its first voyage to Europe from New York, July 3, 1952, with the view of the Midtown Manhattan skyline including the Empire State Building at center right. (AP Photo/Jack Harris, File)

A historic ocean liner will become the world’s largest artificial reef after it's sunk off Florida’s Gulf Coast early next year.

Okaloosa County officials announced Tuesday that they expect to sink the SS United States in early 2026 about 22 nautical miles (41 kilometers) southwest of Destin and 32 nautical miles (59 kilometers) southeast of Pensacola.

The nearly 1,000-foot (305-meter) vessel , which shattered the trans-Atlantic speed record on its maiden voyage in

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