Brandon Lopez

Divers Unfurl Rainbow Flag on Key West Artificial Reef

The artificial reef was created to relieve human pressure from natural coral reefs, provide additional habitat for marine life and create recreational fishing and scuba diving opportunities

Divers unfurled a rainbow flag underwater Friday on an artificial reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

The installation of the banner took place in conjunction with Key West’s Pride celebration that ends Sunday.

The flag was installed on the 523-foot-long Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, which was a former missile tracking ship that monitored Soviet launches during the Cold War.

It was purposely scuttled 10 years ago to create an artificial reef.

The artificial reef was created to relieve human pressure from natural coral reefs, provide additional habitat for marine life and create recreational fishing and scuba diving opportunities.

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