Ship meant to build reef sinks early off San Diego

SAN DIEGO - A former warship that was to be sunk this weekend to build an artificial reef reached its undersea destination ahead of schedule when larger-than-expected waves overwhelmed it early Friday.

Swells up to 4 feet tall greeted the 2,890-ton HMSC Yukon soon after it was towed into position for Saturday's intended sinking. It went under at 12:25 a.m. Friday, about two hours after caretakers aboard the ship radioed for help.

No one was injured, but the early sinking put a damper on weekend festivities surrounding the event.

''We were ready to put it on the bottom and Mother Nature took her from us a little early,'' said Greg Stone of the Oceans Foundation, noting that the ship will still serve its purpose. ''She was clean and diver-friendly and environmentally sound.''

With at least 50 holes cut into the Canadian vessel as passageways for recreational divers, water poured into the Yukon at a rate of 500 gallons a minute, overwhelming the ship's sole pump.

The holes were close to the water line and so large that the three caretakers escaped by walking through one hole and onto the deck of the lifeguard boat.

It took a little more than 10 minutes before the ship was under water.

''There was a lot of hissing of the air rushing out of all the holes,'' said city lifeguard chief B. Chris Brewster, one of the first on the scene. ''There was sort of this metallic straining sound of all of the superstructure groaning as it succumbed to the sea.''

The 366-foot destroyer was to be sent down before a crowd of onlookers off the shores of San Diego's Mission Beach.

Children were to compete in the game Battleship for the chance to push the button that would have sent the ship down into 100 feet of water. More than 60 youths continued with the tournament Friday, playing instead for other prizes, including a $1,000 scholarship.

Several players said they were content to compete for the prize money, but parents were more disappointed.

''I just wanted to hit the button and watch the boom, just like a kid,'' said Steven Holcroft, whose son was competing.

The foundation paid $250,000 for the Yukon, which was sent from British Columbia last year. Volunteers scrapped parts such as machinery and wire, and cleaned the vessel of potential contaminants.

Stone expected that 300 people who paid $100 each to be the first to dive to the wreck will still be able to do so Saturday.