Journey to the sunken jet

A thrill-seeking diver to Bahrain’s Underwater theme park told this to a publication in his native some 3,200 kilometres away from here when asked about his experience. Prince, a native of Kerala, India, was part of an eight-member group that took the plunge.  He looks back to say he thoroughly enjoyed the 45-minute glide into the depths, tracing the length of the submerged Boeing 747 airplane located off the north coast of mainland Bahrain, 30km from the Amwaj Islands.  “However, to enjoy the dive to its fullest, one needs to be an expert diver,” he says.

“But there’s no reason to worry as experienced drivers are always there to assist you through the fun-filled glide,” he assures.  When the park opened its doors in June, it was a milestone for Bahrain’s Tourism and Exhibitions Authority. Now, it’s living up to that expectation and as Prince describes is making headlines all around the globe.  Experiences of those who had taken the plunge are all over the internet.

Just a few clicks are what needed to read them online.  Thus, aside from its famed forts and the 400-year-old tree of life, the park, as expected, is attracting tourists and enthusiasts alike to Bahrain, to its unique marine-ecosystem, which places a big decommissioned jet as its centrepiece. The 70-metre-long decommissioned plane, last registered as TF-AAA, according to Zayed bin Rashid Al Zayani, Bahrain’s minister of industry, commerce and tourism, is the “largest ever to be submerged”. 

“We are proud to launch this unique eco-friendly project,” said the minister. The project, which covers an area of 100,000 square meters, is the product of a partnership between the Supreme Council for Environment, Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), and the private sector.

Beats Turkey

The remarkable feat also makes Bahrain home to the longest underwater aircraft as an artificial reef. Turkey held this record for just six days after sinking a 65m-long Airbus A330 on 14 June. Alongside tourists, authorities hope that the park will serve as a “live lab” for students, marine biologists, environmentalists and researchers.  The project, officials said, is implemented with best global practices to ensure that tourism activities do not damage the environment or the marine life. To ensure it’s safety, professional divers from registered dive centres are conducting inspections time and again. 

In response to concerns raised regarding metal erosion, officials assured that the park adheres strictly to environmental standards and is designed to promote marine life and revival of the local ecosystem.  “Furthermore, a vast amount of time has been spent removing contaminants from the aircraft.” The jet, anchored at a depth of 24 meters, is specially prepared to protect the marine environment. All plastic and toxic parts were removed to make it pristine. 

Experts removed all wiring, hydraulic, pneumatic and fuel systems, adhesives, insulation, plastics, rubbers, chemicals or other potentially toxic substances. Before sinking, high-pressure washing was done using bio-friendly detergents to remove all “post-production coatings, oil and grime,” a Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Agency spokesperson said.  

The environmental and regulatory standards of the park, according to Hassan Janahir, an avid Bahraini diver, are capable of enhancing marine life and attracting local and international divers.

More on way

The park’s next phase will include a replica of a traditional Bahraini pearl merchant’s house, artificial coral reefs and other sculptures. However, boosting the inflow of tourists further will be the completion of the new passenger terminal at Bahrain International Airport with more international flights added.

Besides, over the next three years, twenty-two new hotels will be launched along with five new beachfront properties along Bahrain Bay. 

We are not alone

In this quest to tap the vast market for diving tourism, Bahrain has some predecessors in the form of Turkey, the United States and Canada.  Turkish officials in June this year sunk an Airbus A330 in the Saros Bay (or Gulf of Saros) in the northern Aegean Sea to function as a reef to attract tourists.  But this isn’t the first time Turkey has attempted such a project. 

Earlier in 2016, Turkey lowered a 177 feet long and a 144- foot wingspan Airbus A300 from the south-western resort town Kusadasi in Western Turkey to become an artificial reef.  Smaller planes were scuttled previously too.  In the United States, a Boeing 727 jet was sunk off the coast of Miami in 1993 but damaged during Hurricane Gordon in 1995. Another Boeing 727 that featured in the 1990s movie “US Marshals” is now a popular diving site at Mermet Springs in Illinois. 

In Canada, a decommissioned Boeing 737 lies in the depths of Stuart Channel near Chemainus, British Columbia. A C130 Hercules was sunk just off the coast of Aqaba, Jordan as a way of attracting tourists. Bahrain’s is thus the latest entrant to this trend ranging from the underwater hotel in the Maldives to America’s underwater museum in Florida where divers can explore striking statues and sculptures. 

Book your tickets

Residents and tourists can now book trips through licensed diving centre listed on www. divebahrain.com.  Scuba divings equipment are available at the park itself.  “Professional Association of Diving Instructors(PADI) certification is a pre-requirement,” Prince says as the area is too deep for inexperienced divers.