A former French aircraft carrier, originally named Foch, was deliberately sunk in the Atlantic Ocean in February 2023 after being rejected by multiple countries due to hazardous materials on board. The ship, built in Saint-Nazaire, France, in the late 1950s, served in the French navy for 37 years before being transferred to Brazil in 2000. Renamed São Paulo, it was used as a training vessel for the Brazilian navy until it was decommissioned in 2017-2018 due to maintenance issues. In 2021, the ship was sold to a Turkish company for dismantling, but Turkey refused to accept it in 2022, citing concerns over 9.6 tonnes of asbestos and 644 tonnes of toxic substances on board. After being returned to Brazil, the country also refused to allow the ship to enter its territorial waters, leaving it adrift in international waters. Over time, the aging vessel became a "ghost ship," drifting uncontrollably and posing a risk of sinking near Brazilian coasts. In January 2023, the Brazilian navy decided to scuttle the ship to prevent an uncontrolled sinking that could have caused environmental or safety hazards. The ship was deliberately sunk on February 3, 2023, at a depth of approximately 5,000 meters, 350 kilometers off Brazil's coast. The Brazilian military justified the action as a necessary precaution to avoid an uncontrolled disaster near populated areas. However, environmental organizations criticized the move, arguing that it violated international environmental treaties that require proper handling and disposal of hazardous materials. The incident has drawn attention to the broader challenges of dealing with aging military vessels, as few shipyards are equipped to safely dismantle such large ships, particularly those containing toxic substances. The case of the São Paulo underscores the complex legal, environmental, and logistical issues that arise when decommissioning large, aging naval vessels. As global navies continue to modernize, the disposal of older ships remains a growing concern, with few options available for safe and compliant dismantling.