Turkey sinks Airbus jet to boost dive tourism
The sinking of the giant plane – with a wingspan of 44 metres and a length of 54 metres – is aimed at promoting artificial reef diving which is hugely popular with experienced divers
Turkish authorities have sunk an A300 Airbus jet off a resort on the Aegean Sea with the aim of boosting diving tourism in the region, reports said Sunday.
The giant plane was put to the bottom of the sea on Saturday afternoon off the popular resort of Kusadasi in Aydin province, the Dogan and Cihan news agencies reported.
The sinking of the giant plane – with a wingspan of 44 metres and a length of 54 metres – is aimed at promoting artificial reef diving which is hugely popular with experienced divers.
Once sunken, the plane acts like a reef, becoming a magnet for underwater flora and fauna.
The 36-year-old aircraft had been bought by Aydin municipality from a private aviation firm for 270,000 Turkish lira (HK$722,405).
Turkey is looking for new ways to promote its key tourism industry, which is expected to suffer a battering this year due to the security situation after a string of deadly attacks.