A 165-foot cargo freighter seized by US Customs and Border Protection will become the next vessel to be scuttled as an artificial reef a mile off the coast of southern Boca Raton. Once in place, the M/V Miss Lourdies will straddle the Palm Beach/Broward County line in approximately 140 feet of water. The vessel will provide habitat for fish and other marine life as well as serve as a new wreck for divers bringing recreational, tourism and economic benefits to the region.
The Miss Lourdies was seized by US Customs in the Miami River after agents found 150 kilos of cocaine hidden in the ship’s hull. After a year of legal proceedings, the boat was officially transferred to the City of Deerfield Beach on March 20, 2009. The transfer of seized vessels to a US governmental entity for sinking as artificial reefs has become a common practice of US Customs. Prior to being approved as an artificial reef, a vessel must undergo a cleanup and preparation process to remove pollutants and make the ship safe for diver penetrations. The Miss Lourdies is expected to be ready for deployment by the first weekend of June.
The cost to decommission, transport and place Miss Lourdies in her final resting place will be covered by private contributions from members of the surrounding community through Daniel Fasano and the Miracle of Life Foundation. Overcoming his fears of swimming in the ocean, Daniel became a certified diver in 2006. Less than a year later, Daniel was diagnosed with leukemia. His subsequent chemotherapy and a life-saving bone marrow transplant inspired him to create the foundation and pursue the sinking of the Miss Lourdes as an artificial reef. Daniel had a large bronze angel mounted on the deck of the ship to symbolize his re-birth. For more information about the foundation, go to: http://miracleoflifeshipwreck.com/vessel.html.
This project is the result of the successful collaboration of multiple entities including the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners through its Department of Environmental Resources Management, Broward County, the City of Deerfield Beach, US Customs and Border Protection, and private stakeholders including the Miracle of Life Foundation, Dixie Divers, CEPEMAR Environmental Services and the Bunnell Foundation.
# # #
Government
