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Divers can view underwater art museum off Florida Keys

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KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — Divers in the Florida Keys can now visit an underwater art museum.

Divers finished placing a series of artworks on a sunken ship Saturday about seven miles south of Key West in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

The project consists of 24 large photo illustrations created by Austrian artist Andreas Franke. They were placed on the Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, a former U.S. Air Force missile tracking ship that was intentionally sunk 10 years ago to create an artificial reef.

Franke calls it the "Plastic Ocean Project" and said he wants it to draw attention to the need to eliminate plastics in the world's oceans.

On Monday, divers plan to unfurl a giant American flag on the 523-foot long (159-meter-long) ship to commemorate Memorial Day and the tenth anniversary of the ship's sinking.