Fang Ming
Cargo/Fishing Vessel · China · Lost 1999 · The Sea of Cortez
Seized after an attempt to smuggle migrants across the Pacific, this Chinese vessel became Latin America's first purpose-sunk artificial reef in 1999.
Become Captain of RecordSee Shipwreck on Map
The Vessel and Her Loss
Fang Ming was intercepted by the Mexican Navy on April 18, 1995, carrying 157 undocumented Chinese migrants toward the United States after a two-month Pacific crossing in poor conditions. The vessel was taken to Puerto San Carlos, Baja California Sur, where it sat unclaimed for years. In 1999, the conservation group Pronatura, working with the Mexican Navy and local divers, prepared and scuttled the ship off Isla Espiritu Santo near La Paz, creating what is considered the first intentionally sunk artificial reef in Latin America.
Vessel
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
- Steel
- 184 ft
- Not established
- Not established
- Diesel
- Not established
Loss
- November 18, 1999
- Intentional sinking
- Off the west side of Isla Espiritu Santo, Bahia de La Paz
- Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez)
- Not established
- Not established
- Not established
- 0
- Not established
The Wreck Today
- 66
- Intact, resting upright on sand; widely dived and penetrable in places.
- Upright
- Not established
- Within the Espiritu Santo Archipelago protected area / national park.
Position
- 24.45° N 110.38° W
- Approximate position
- Isla Espiritu Santo, near La Paz
Position drawn from dive-site listings rather than an official hydrographic survey.
Evidence
Overall confidence: Documented (80/100)
Seizure date, migrant numbers, and account of the artificial-reef project.
Exact sinking date, depth, and location.
