when is the ss united states going to be sunk
Rayan Khaled
The SS United States is scheduled to be sunk today, Wednesday, November 11, 2026, with deployment operations set for 2:00 p.m. CST (3:00 p.m. EST) off the coast of Florida’s Panhandle.
The sinking was originally planned for Thursday, November 12, but Okaloosa County officials moved the operation up by one day due to forecasted heavy winds and unsafe marine conditions.
Key Details of the Sinking
- Timeline: Crews initially targeted 1:00 p.m. CST to begin opening valves and flooding the hull, though Pensacola News Journal reported a slight delay pushing the start of reefing to around 2:00 p.m. CST (3:00 p.m. EST). The controlled flooding process—conducted without explosives—is expected to take about 45 minutes.
- Location: The 990-foot ocean liner will settle roughly 22 to 25 miles southwest of Destin-Fort Walton Beach, between Pensacola and Panama City.
- Depth & Purpose: Resting in about 180 feet of water with its top deck roughly 60 feet below the surface, the ship will become the world’s largest artificial reef for marine life and recreational scuba divers.
- Where to Watch: Live coverage of the final descent is available via PBS News and CBS News Philadelphia.