Authorities in Turkey have sunk an Airbus A300 passenger jet off the Aegean coast with the aim of attracting more diving tourists to the region.
The plane was put to the bottom of the sea off the resort of Kuşadası, in Aydin province, 50 miles south of Izmir.
The sinking of the plane, which is 54 metres (177ft) long and has a wingspan of 44 metres, is aimed at promoting artificial reef diving, which is hugely popular with experienced divers.
Once sunk, the plane acts like a reef, becoming a magnet for underwater flora and fauna.
They aren’t alone. Over the past few decades, five U.S. states along to Gulf of Mexico have built artificial reefs both inshore and offshore with the aim of enhancing recreational fishing and diving opportunities.
State and local governments on the Gulf Coast have expressed interest in creating additional artificial reefs with some of the money from the federal funds resulting from the BP oil disaster.
Other states around the U.S. have done likewise, such as the spectacularly successful use of old subway cars to create the “Redbird Reef” off the coast of Maryland.
See full article & photo credit.
See 2013 National Wildlife Federation article on using artificial reefs to restore fisheries.