Off Florida, underwater burial ground offers aquatic lifeline

Divers swim near brightly colored fish and a stingray as they ride warm currents to the seafloor off Florida's coast, where an underwater burial site for ocean lovers doubles as a marine sanctuary brimming with aquatic life.

With its graceful concrete arches, columns, plaques and other monuments and artwork covered in sea anemones, coral and algae, the Neptune Memorial Reef has transformed a nondescript patch into an elegant columbarium that is an example of a growing worldwide trend.

At about 12 meters deep, divers swim between columns, under arches and past statues of lions, starfish, turtles and other marine animals.

Construction of the unlikely burial site began in 2007 in shallow waters some five kilometers east of Miami. The initial plan was to install an artificial reef that would serve as a refuge for aquatic fauna of the area.

With communities around the world seeking greener burial options than traditional cemeteries, underwater memorial gardens have surged in popularity.

Similar projects are operating or in the planning stages in several locations worldwide, including off the coasts of the US states of Florida, New Jersey, North Carolina, Texas and Virginia.

The process at Neptune involves mixing the ashes of the dead in with the concrete of the columns, statues or other monument structures.

Fifteen years on, the remains of some 1,500 people are interred in the underwater memorial, with another 1,500 having reserved spots for when they die.

Prices range from $7,995 to $29,995, depending on the location and support chosen.