CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas, Sept. 18 (UPI) -- A team of scientists and engineers breached and then sank a retired ocean freighter yesterday, adding it to an artificial reef for sea creatures in the Gulf of Mexico. The final resting place of the 155-foot Kinta S lies roughly 11 miles from Port Aransas, Texas and 10.5 miles from Corpus Christi.
The effort is part of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's artificial reef program. The hollowed out hull was sunk with the financial help of nonprofit group Saltwater-fisheries Enhancement Association, in addition to funding from government grants and donations from corporate sponsors. The program includes the cooperation of scientists with the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies and the University of Texas Marine Science Institute.