Off the coast of Miami, divers regularly visit a retired passenger jet that has spent more than three decades on the ocean floor. The Key Biscayne Artificial Reef Site is one of dozens of intentional wrecks that make up the region’s diving grounds, and on September 8, 1993, a decommissioned Boeing 727, named Spirit of Miami, was sunk in about 82 feet of water, according to DiveSpots. Shipwrecks like this one function much like natural reefs, providing structure and homes for a variety of fish and invertebrate species, the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries explains. What may seem like an unusual way to dispose of an old plane has become a practical method for rebuilding underwater habitat.
How an old plane ends up on the seafloor
