WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Hundreds of divers collected more than 1,500 pounds of trash and at the same time set a new world record at a popular beach in Florida.
The Guinness World Record-setting 633 divers collected at least 1,626 pounds of trash and 60 pounds of fishing line at the Deerfield Beach International Fishing Pier in Florida.
According to environmentalist RJ Harper, who helped recruit divers for the event, 'All those times the line gets caught, you just never really think about it. Obviously, trash was collected, but the beauty of it is with 633 divers, we were able to do a very thorough cleaning.'
Guinness adjudicator Michael Empric did the official head count between 9 a.m and 11 a.m.
'I actually stood there and clicked off everyone as they got in the water,' Empric said, Sun Sentinel reports. 'It doesn't matter what happens today with the Guinness World Records. What really matters is that everyone is out there cleaning up around the pier and trying to improve the community.'
The annual clean-up event is organized annually by local dive shop Dixie Divers and Deerfield Beach Women's Club. This year was the 15th cleanup.
Ahmed Gabr, a former Egyptian Army scuba diver, set the previous record in 2015 with 613 other divers in the Red Sea in Egypt, CNN reports.
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