Jordan's underwater diving site features 1011 TriStar flight

Through the man-made underwater structure, Jordan wants to distract the divers from the coral beds and attract new interest.

Aqaba: Jordan officials plan to attract divers by erecting an artificial reef which is created by sinking a decommissioned 1011 TriStar flight off the Gulf of Aqaba.

However, through this man-made underwater structure, they want to distract the divers from the coral beds and attract new interest.

Although it was quite a unique planning to promote tourism and allow the natural reefs to recover.

Sharhabeel Madi, ASEZA Commissioner for Tourism and Economic Development said, "This product will be an added value for Aqaba because it will create a new dive site in Aqaba and it will decrease the pressure on the coral. This will be invested to promote Aqaba and to increase the flow of tourists from all over the world especially those who are looking for a magnificent site and a unique experience in diving."

Nayeh Bakhit, Chief Commissioner of Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority says: "This event is very important because it will increase tourism and the sport of diving in the Gulf of Aqaba. There were also previous various procedures to enhance the diving with the submerging of the military museum last month, and today we will submerge this aircraft to create a new and successful experience for divers in Aqaba city and to attract divers from all over the world. In addition to that this aircraft will be a shelter and home for marine organisms and will help to develop the marine life and will help to grow coral reefs and all kind of fish in the Gulf of Aqaba. The iron structure of the plane inside the sea would be a shelter for marine organisms."

A similar plan was executed in July 2019 in which 19 decommissioned military vehicles with a purpose to create a new diving site with a new type of museum.

The exhibits included various tanks, an ambulance, military crane, a troop carrier, anti-aircraft gun, a fighter and a helicopter.

The disuse aircraft which was earlier parked at the King Hussein International Airport is now going to be parked under the sea bed where it will wait for its new visitors.