Diver guides reef unit into place (CSA)

Date of incident: October 25, 1989.

Location: Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Florida.

Trustees:

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Overview: On October 25, 1989, the oil field supply vessel M/V Alec Owen Maitland ran aground on a Federally-protected coral reel within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, managed and protected by NOAA in cooperation with the State of Florida's Department of Environmental Protection. The incident resulted in significant injury to the reef substrate and resident marine organisms. The majority of the coral colonies at the site, as well as numerous sponges and sea fans, were destroyed by the grounding and attempts to free the ship from the reef's surface. Over time, the resulting holes in the surface eroded into one large crater that threatened to undermine surrounding unaffected reefs.

Grounding site of the M/V Maitland