The sunken remains of the ship Florence, which was recently involved in a case of human trafficking that resulted in at least three deaths, has become a tourist attraction for divers on the island of Sal.

Hundreds of tourists have traveled to the island of Sal to get an up-close look at the ship, which authorities ordered sunk following its seizure in an ill-fated attempt to carry illegal migrants to the Canary Islands. Joaquim Martins, one of the managers of Manta Diving, is content with authorities’ decision to sink the ship in Santa Maria bay because of the tourist attraction it has become. “Without a doubt, it was a spectacular action. There’s really been a major demand to see the ship,” he enthusiastically affirms.

Diving centers are now considering sinking more out-of-use ships in order to create more such tourist attractions. The Florence, for its part, although sunk relatively recently, “is now a different ship, completely covered by coral. The biodiversity is considerable, with large fish swimming around the ship, which makes it a major tourist attraction,” says Martins.

source a samana