After sailing for over half a century under many names, the ship once known as the S.S. America met with a tragic end.
Originally built as a high-end luxury liner in 1940, the America has since served as a military and civilian vessel for multiple countries, including as a U.S. Navy transport during World War II. After changing owners multiple times, she eventually fell into disrepair and was sold for scrap.
Photo: Wollex/Wikimedia Commons
In 1994, en route to Phuket, Thailand, and a possible retirement destination as a hotel (similar to the allegedly haunted Queen Mary), the doomed ship – now called the American Star– was struck by a massive storm and ran aground off Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands.
Photo: Dan Maudsley via Flickr
Ever since then, the rusting remains have been breaking apart bit by bit – the hull was severed in half, Titanic-style, leaving only the bow leaning precariously on a sandbar. In 2005 that section began breaking away too, and today the hulk is only fully visible at low tide.
Photo: Simon K via Flickr