In 2002, South Australia sank ex-HMAS Hobart in under 3 minutes; 18 years later...

In 2002, South Australia sank ex-HMAS Hobart in under 3 minutes A 134-metre decommissioned guided-missile destroyer lying 30 metres below the surface of Yankalilla Bay has become one of South Australia’s most diverse marine habitats, less than two decades after it was deliberately sunk. The ex-HMAS Hobart was scuttled on 5 November 2002. It sank in two minutes and 17 seconds after controlled explosives were detonated along its hull, according to the Naval Historical Society of Australia. A detailed scientific survey carried out 18 years after the sinking found that the artificial reef was home to more than 50 different fish species, along with large communities of filter-feeding marine organisms. The findings, published in reports by South Australia’s Department for Environment and Water (DEW), show how old military vessels can be reused to support marine life along areas of sea floor with few natural habitats.Transformation from naval flagship to ecological havenBuilt by the Defoe Shipbuilding Company in Michigan, United States, HMAS Hobart entered service with the Royal Australian Navy in December 1965. During more than 35 years of service, the warship completed three combat depl...