World’s largest underwater theme park opens after Boeing 747 towed across ocean is sunk as main attraction

DIVERS are now able to explore a sunken Boeing 747 in Bahrain as part of a new underwater theme park.

The old plane, which was built in 1981, was submerged earlier this year and is now open to the public.

It marks a milestone for the development, which is based around 30 kilometres north of Amwaj in BahrainCredit: The Mega Agency

Dive Bahrain provides visitors with the opportunity to enjoy a unique diving experience within a large areaCredit: The Mega Agency

The plane is the centre piece of an underwater theme parkCredit: Dive Bahrain

Dive Bahrain, in close proximity to Bahrain International Airport, has a 70m-long decommissioned Boeing 747 as its centerpiece, the largest aircraft ever to be intentionally submerged.

ThE project was developed in close cooperation between the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) and the Supreme Council for Environment (SCE).

Dive Bahrain provides visitors with the opportunity to enjoy a unique diving experience within a large area.

In addition to the Boeing 747, the newly opened underwater theme park will feature a replica of a traditional Bahraini pearl merchant house – artificial coral reefs and other sculptures that will be fabricated and submerged to provide a safe haven for coral reef growth and to ensure a sustainable habitat for marine life.

The eco-friendly park will also provide researchers a rich source of information on marine ecologies, and will enhance environmental awareness on the importance of preserving marine life.

ECO-FRIENDLY

The theme park forms part of the BTEA31s strategy of boosting tourism and further promoting this vital sector by making greater use of the Kingdom31s natural assets.

The park is expected to attract global recognition and become an international tourist attraction, given its size and location as well as the unique experience it will offer to both tourists and diving enthusiasts.

Since its successful submersion, professional divers from registered dive centers have conducted intermittent inspections of the aircraft to ensure the park31s safety to both professional and leisure divers.

100,000 sq m

It marks a milestone for the development, which is based around 30 kilometres north of Amwaj in Bahrain.

The 70m-long plane, last registered as TF-AAA, will then be transformed into a diving site.

The attraction offers 100,000 sq m of activities and trails for divers, ranging from colourful artificial reefs to underwater sculptures.

Before the plane was sunk a specialised team removed “all possibly toxic substances” in a bid to preserve the marine environment.

It is hoped the setting not only provides a playground for high-spending tourists but also encourage marine life and act as a way of improving the state of the Gulf’s reefs.

Planes have been used as a dive site in the past.

A C130 Hercules was sunk just off the coast of Aqaba, Jordan as a way of attracting tourists.

In 1993, a 727 was sunk off the coast of Miami, while in 2016, Turkey sunk an A300 in the Aegean Sea, just off Kuşadası.

In Canada, there’s a 737 in the Stuart Channel.

Before the plane was sunk a specialised team removed “all possibly toxic substances” in a bid to preserve the marine environmentCredit: The Mega Agency

The theme park off the Bahrain is due to open this yearCredit: Dive Bahrain

It is hoped the plane will be the focus of a dive site and help underwater life in the areaCredit: Dive Bahrain

The park is expected to cover 100,000 square metresCredit: Dive Bahrain

It is not the first time a plane has been sunk to be used as a dive siteCredit: Dive Bahrain

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