The MV Hilma Hooker is one of many wreck dives in the Caribbean that has a fascinating history. The Hilma Hooker was a 236 foot long cargo vessel that was originally launched in 1951 as the MV Midsland. Over the next 33 years it went through a series of different owners, different names, and different mishaps before it became a popular dive site. In 1975 it went aground in Santa Barbara de Samana, Dominican Republic and was declared a total loss, then refloated and sold. In 1981 the San Andreas Shipping Line took ownership and named her the Hilma Hooker. In the summer of 1984 the Hilma Hooker ran into some rudder problems, or engine problems, while passing by the island of Bonaire. It was towed into the port of Kralendijk. When the local authorities boarded the vessel for an inspection, the captain could not produce any registration papers. Drug authorities, some sy the FBI, were already tracking the vessel on the suspicion she was transporting illegal drugs. What they found on the Hilma Hooker was over 25,000 pounds (11,000 kg) of marijuana hidden behind a false bulkhead. The marijuana was seized and burned. The Hooker remained tied up to the town pier for months while officials tried to locate the vessel's owner who, not surpisingly, did not come forward. The vessel had not been well maintained by its owners and began to take on water. It was feared it would sink at the Town Pier, so on 7 September 1984 it was towed to an anchorage. On 12 September 1984 at 9:00 am it sank and came to rest on its starboard side in 72 to 98 feet of water, on a sandy bottom between two coral reefs. The wreck has become a prime atraction for diving.