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 a world 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 Boeing 747, submerged in its entirety to serve as an artificial reef -- a world first.
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 square meters . 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.