A new underwater theme park featuring a sunken Boeing 747 aircraft has opened off the coast of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf, in what’s being called world’s first. Billed as the world’s largest underwater theme park, Dive Bahrain is part of the kingdom’s tourism strategy, aimed at growing its visitor numbers and becoming a major dive site in the region.
The centerpiece? A 70-meter-long (230-foot) Boeing 747, submerged in its entirety that serves as an artificial reef. It’s a feat that required dismantling the aircraft and transporting the pieces long distance on a barge. The aircraft was then re-assembled before being submerged in its entirety.
Overall, the underwater park covers an area of 100,000 sq mts (10 hectares). Along with the double-decker aircraft, the site features a replica of a traditional Bahraini pearl merchant’s house and sail structures. Future phases also call for submerged ships and sculptures that would likewise serve as artificial reefs, stimulating coral growth and sustaining marine life.
Visits and bookings are being organised through registered dive centers in Bahrain via Dive Bahrain.
All images: Courtesy Dive Bahrain
