Campaigners call on Donald Trump to save historic liner with links to Southampton
A campaign group has appealed to US President Donald Trump to save a historic steam liner with links to Southampton that is due to be sunk.
The New York Coalition to Save the SS United States has appealed to the federal courts and President Trump to try and stop the vessel being sunk off the coast of Florida.
Owner of the SS United States, Okaloosa County, plan to sink the vessel and create the world's largest artificial reef.
Campaign group, the New York Coalition was created last October - just two months after Okaloosa County bought the vessel.
The Coalition argues the SS United States has 'inestimable historic value to which the people of the United States have a sovereign interest from being sunk dismembered or destroyed."
In letters sent to the office of Attorney General, Pam Bondi and President Trump, the Coalition asked whether the ship should be taken for public use with just compensation paid to the county.
READ MORE: Pictures show inside SS United states before ship is sunk
Okaloosa County have dismissed the legal appeal launched by the Coalition and said that the organisation was only "involved itself for the sole purpose of preventing the county from following through on its plans."
It also added that so far, the Trump administration is yet to confirm it is aware of the action being taken by the New York Coalition to save the SS United States.
For 17 years the liner powered through the Atlantic making constant journeys between Southampton and New York, and was met crowds of almost 70,000 when she first came to Hampshire in 1952.
The SS United States was also the fastest ship in the world at the time.
Before being passed into the hands of Okaloosa County, the vessel's last owner, the SS United States Conservancy planned to turn the liner into a floating hotel venue - but these plans never got off the ground.
It is so far unclear if the legal motion by the New York Coalition will affect Okaloosa County's plans for the SS United States.
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