MVA eyes sinking ship off Lau Lau Bay

Divers on Saipan and the island's tourism office are in the early stages of a plan to sink a ship off Lau Lau Bay to create a new site for SCUBA enthusiasts.

The plan to sink the Charito, a 97-foot vessel that washed ashore on Saipan almost 10 years ago, could provide an added attraction to the already popular dive site, according to Perry Tenorio, managing director of the Marianas Visitor Authority. Several key details, however, including the cost of the venture, still have to be resolved, he said.

Sinking the Charito would create a gathering point for aquatic life and could later help create new coral, according to local diver Douglas Brennan. Ultimately, the plan could bolster the island's SCUBA tourism sector, he said...[Saipan Tribune]