Subject: Caymans buy Russian destroyer for dive site
 GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands (Reuter) - A sandy spot on the
floor of the Caribbean Sea will be the final resting place for a
Russian Cold War relic which tourism officials hope will act as
a magnet for scuba divers.
 The Cayman government confirmed Thursday that it  bought an
abandoned Russian destroyer to be used as a scuba diving
attraction in this British territory in the western Caribbean.
 Tourism Minister Thomas Jefferson said the government paid
about $275,000 for the conventionally powered 330-foot
destroyer, which was built in 1983 for about $30 million.
 The vessel had been mothballed at an abandoned Russian naval
base in Cuba and was purchased through the Russian embassy in
Havana, officials said.
 The ship will be towed to Cayman Brac island later this
month where it will be sunk in 110 feet of water about 600 feet
offshore to provide a new attraction for diving enthusiasts.
Cayman Brac is about 75 miles east of Grand Cayman island.
 The Cayman Islands are world-renowned as a top scuba diving
destination.
--- Scooby snacks
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