Jumbo jet to become artificial reef in Bahrain
Bahrain is in the process of building the world’s largest underwater theme park, which will ultimately cover 25 acres, and developers plan to submerge a Boeing 747.
The theme park will open after Eid Al-Fitr next month, according to a report by the Daily Tribune newspaper, citing information from the Bahraini Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism.
Along with the jet aircraft, the underwater theme park will also feature a replica of a traditional Bahraini pearl merchant's house along with other artificial coral reefs and structures. The incorporation of a replica pearl merchant’s house is a nod to the kingdom's plentiful oyster population and, flowing from that, its pearl diving history.
The decommissioned plane is already in Bahrain and is being prepared to take its place under the sea.
The 70-meter-long plane will be subjected to a high-pressure wash with eco-friendly detergents to ensure all post-production coatings, oil and grime are removed. The airliner is expected to be the largest ever to be submerged, the Abu Dhabi-based newspaper The National reported.
The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority said, “Fully decontaminated from toxic substances, every effort has been taken to limit the project’s environmental footprint and to ensure delivery in the most environmentally sound manner."
The Gulf nation hopes the underwater theme park will further its reputation as a “distinct tourist destination, enhancing its presence on the global tourism stage and international diving scene.”