Historical Figures
On 18 January 1994, the 220-metre ocean liner American Star ran aground at Garcey beach (Pájara, Fuerteventura) after its towline snapped in a severe storm, two weeks after leaving Piraeus bound for Thailand, where it was to be converted into a floating hotel. Built in 1940 as the SS America for United States Lines — and named USS West Point or Australis in other periods of its life — the ship broke in two after grounding, and its remains stayed visible off the Fuerteventura coast for years, becoming a singular attraction for sightseers and photographers until the sea finally broke the hull apart.