After sitting unused for 15 years, the ferry M/F Ærøsund is now ready to take on passengers again – with one major twist. The next to board the ferry will not be humans but rather aquatic life, after the ferry was sunk to the bottom of the Svendborg Sound on Sunday to become an artificial reef.
The 55-metre long ferry will now provide nooks and crannies for fish and other sea life and serve as a destination for divers.
The sinking of the Ærøsund marks the first time that a ship so large has been purposely sunk in Denmark. Prior to the ship’s sinking, alterations were made to make it more accessible for divers and more environmentally-friendly.
The sinking was carried out with the approval of the Environment Ministry and the Danish Coastal Authority and under the watchful eye of hundreds of spectators on both land and sea.
Before being retired in 1999, the ferry made regular trips between the island of Ærø and the Funen town of Svendborg for nearly 40 years.
See the M/F Ærøsund make its final downward journey here, courtesy of DR:
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