Once the world's fastest passenger liner, the SS United States was deliberately sunk off the coast of Florida on November 11, taking around five hours to disappear beneath the waves.
Launched in 1951, the nearly 1,000-foot (305-meter) vessel crossed the Atlantic in less than four days and carried four US presidents, the 'Mona Lisa,' and numerous Hollywood stars. After decades of deterioration, it was given a new purpose as what is expected to become the world's largest artificial reef.
The ship was deliberately flooded by crews, who removed plugs from its hull, allowing seawater to enter without explosives.
The US$10 million project is part of Okaloosa County's effort to attract divers and boost tourism. Local officials expect the investment to pay for itself within a few years, building on the economic benefits already generated by the area's artificial reefs.
For some, the sinking marks the end of an era of glamorous ocean travel; for others, it offers the vessel a more dignified fate than the scrapyard.
In this gallery, we take a look at some of the most famous ships that were scuttled, either individually or as part of a larger campaign of deliberate destruction. Read on for more.