Bahrain to sink Boeing 747 in Persian Gulf as part of ‘underwater theme park’ planned for divers

By Jon Rogers

The Boeing 747 was towed out to sea to be sunk as part of what’s being called an eco-friendly project. (Dive Bahrain)

Amazing photos show a Boeing 747 being towed out across the ocean to be sunk

The old plane, which was built in 1981, was submerged near Bahrain ahead of the opening of the site later this year. It marks a milestone for the development, which is based around 18 miles north of Amwaj in Bahrain.

The 230-foot plane, last registered as TF-AAA, will then be transformed into a diving site.

The old plane, which was built in 1981, was submerged near Bahrain ahead of the park’s opening later this year. (Dive Bahrain)

It’s no doubt set to be the piece de resistance within the new attraction, Dive Bahrain, which is set to become the world’s largest underwater theme park when it opens in Bahrain later this summer 2019.

The attraction will offer 100,000-square-feet of activities and trails for divers, ranging from colorful artificial reefs to underwater sculptures.

Before the plane was sunk, a specialized team removed “all possibly toxic substances” in a bid to preserve the marine environment.

It is hoped the setting not only provides a playground for high-spending tourists but also encourage marine life and act as a way of improving the state of the Gulf’s reefs.

Planes have been used as a dive site in the past. A C130 Hercules was sunk just off the coast of Aqaba, Jordan as a way of attracting tourists. In 1993, a 727 was sunk off the coast of Miami, while in 2016, Turkey sunk an A300 in the Aegean Sea, just off Kusadasi.

In Canada, there’s also a 737 in the Stuart Channel.