Under usual circumstances, the sight of a sinking airplane would lend cause for shock. And distress. But at this little resort town on the coast of Turkey, people stood by and cheered loudly as the 177 foot long Airbus A300 wobbled on the surface of the water and slowly began to sink, the Agean sea claiming it for its own. This was not the result of an aviation disaster, but an intentional effort by the Turkish authorities in a bid to create an artificial reef off the coast of the resort town of Kuşadasi.
Turkey has seen a sharp decline in tourist visits following the recent bombings and terror attacks. This attempt to create a reef is driven by the need to revive the slump in tourism. Several smaller aircraft have been submerged before, but this is the first time something on this scale was attempted. The aircraft was transported to Kuşadasi from Istanbul and is the largest plane to have been sunk off the Turkish coast.
Heading out to sea Image courtesy: guardian.com
The Airbus settles in for the dive Image courtesy: twitter.com
The massive jumbo with a wingspan of 144 feet took over two and a half hours to lower into the sea, assisted by cranes and divers. Rafts made of floating balloons were employed to keep its descent in check as it sank to the seabed. Once the sea claims it for its own, plants and other sea life are expected to start inhabiting the airplane structure, eventually turning it into a reef.
Now you see me, Image courtesy: twitter.com
The authorities anticipate that the move will turn the seaside town into a year-round tourist destination for diving enthusiasts, and will also help increase underwater biodiversity and protect underwater life. Such artificial reefs also help divert people from natural coral reefs that are under threat due to various reasons including tourist activities.
From soaring high in the skies to diving deep into the seas, this aircraft certainly seems to have seen it all!
