Jordan sinks military vehicles in Aqaba for underwater museum

Sunken Jordanian battle tank in Aqaba’s underwater museum

Amman: An underwater museum, comprising 19 military relics, has been launched in Jordan.

Aqaba’s Underwater Military Museum Dive Site offers divers and snorkelers the opportunity to explore military machines stationed along coral reefs imitating a tactical formation, Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) said in a statement. The formation consists of tanks, an ambulance, a military crane, a troop carrier, an anti-aircraft gun and a combat helicopter.

Eight of the objects were settled at 15-20 meters below the surface and the other 11 at 20-28 meters allowing people to snorkel, take a tour from a glass bottom boat or scuba dive to the sites. The museum aims to give visitors a new type of experience and new acquisitions will be added.

The ASEZA said it took all possible measures to ensure the protection and safety of the marine environment in cooperation with the relevant authorities and associations. ASEZA spent 30 days scanning, photographing and planning before it sank the military machines, while ensuring that the process did not affect surrounding marine life, the statement said. Before the sinking, all hazardous materials were removed to comply with environmental best practices.

The location of the museum also promotes the recovery of natural reefs since it will relieve pressure on them by drawing visitors away to an alternative site.

According to the statement, Aqaba’s Underwater Military Museum Dive Site is a product of a partnership between public and private sectors. The ASEZA was responsible for the planning, preparation and sinking, while the Aqaba Port provided the mobile docks used in the process and the required human resources. The Aqaba Port Marine Services Company was responsible for providing tugboats and the Royal Jordanian Maritime Force secured the site to maintain public safety. The Red Sea Diving Centre volunteered to document the whole operation with their professional underwater cameras, the statement said.