News
Aqaba: The Scuttling of a Lockheed L-1011 Tristar Plane
On Monday 26th August I had the opportunity to join other journalists from around Europe and the world as The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) scuttled a Lockheed L-1011 Tristar to create a new artificial reef in the waters of the Red Sea.
The day started with an 8.30am pick up from the hotel in Aqaba for a short drive to the marina. We would then board a boat which took us to the scuttling event a short 15 minute boat journey away. Here we got our first glimpse of the large aircraft gleaming white under the morning sun. While there was a ceremony and crowds on the nearby pier we had the opportunity to witness the scuttling from the comfort of the boat with the added bonus of refreshments onboard.
The Tristar was scuttled next to the King Abdullah Reef dive site, adjacent to the Aqaba Container Terminal. Initially the whole process started slowly as care was taken to ensure it would sink evenly before it’s final destination on the sea floor. The proposed site is a sloping sandy bottom where the plan was for the nose of the plane to sit in water around 15 metres deep while the tail end sloped down to around 28 metres.
As the floats were slowly removed from underneath the plane there was a slight concern from a few of us onboard when the left wing descended first. The right wing raised above the water line, seemingly in a desperate bid to cling to life on land a little longer.
I’m sure this was just an onlooker’s concern and the people involved in the scuttling were more than comfortable with the way things were going. Sure enough, after a slow start to proceedings and 2 hours or so since we first arrived at the site, the sinking process took a rapid turn and soon enough the whole of the Tristar was disappearing under the surface.
As the tip of the tail fin of this huge Lockheed Tristar plane disappeared. We were treated to the full repertoire of the boat symphony of the onlooking boats. The bellowing of the horns and sirens through the air changed what was up until that point a strangely calm event. Cannons of water sprayed from the safety tug boats as the celebration was in full swing.
I was already looking forward to getting chance to dive this new unique dive site and see what adventures await divers looking for a new experience in the Red Sea.
Visit www.aqaba.jo for more information.
Over the next 12 months, specialist scuba holiday company Dive Worldwide will be supporting Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation with donations collected from client bookings to any one of its stunning dive destinations around the world. The independently-owned operator expects to raise £3000 for the UK charity.
Manager at Dive Worldwide, Phil North, said: “We’re especially excited to work with Bite-Back and support its intelligent, creative and results-driven campaigns to end the UK trade in shark products and prompt a change in attitudes to the ocean’s most maligned inhabitant.”
Bite-Back is running campaigns to hold the media to account on the way it reports shark news along with a brand new nationwide education programme. Last year the charity was credited for spearheading a UK ban on the import and export of shark fins.
Campaign director at Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’re enormously grateful to Dive Worldwide for choosing to support Bite-Back. The company’s commitment to conservation helps set it apart from other tour operators and we’re certain its clients admire and respect that policy. For us, the affiliation is huge and helps us look to the future with confidence we can deliver against key conservation programmes.”
To launch the fundraising initiative, Phil North presented Graham Buckingham with a cheque for £1,000.
Visit Dive Worldwide to discover its diverse range of international scuba adventures and visit Bite-Back to learn more about the charity’s campaigns.
MORE INFORMATION
Call Graham Buckingham on 07810 454 266 or email graham@bite-back.com
Free Octopus with every purchase of a SCUBAPRO regulator system
Just in time for the spring season, divers can save money with the FREE OCTOPUS SPRING PROMOTION! Until July 31st SCUBAPRO offers an Octopus for free
with every purchase of a regulator system!
Get a free S270 OCTOPUS with purchase of these combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with A700
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with S620Ti
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with D420
MK25 EVO Din mit S620Ti-X
Get a free R105 OCTOPUS with purchase of the following combinations:
MK25 EVO or MK19 EVO with G260
MK25 EVO or MK17 EVO with S600
SCUBAPRO offers a 30-year first owner warranty on all regulators, with a revision period of two years or 100 dives. All SCUBAPRO regulators are of course certified according to the new European test standard EN250-2014.
Available at participating SCUBAPRO dealers. Promotion may not be available in all regions. Find an authorized SCUBAPRO Dealer at scubapro.com.
More information available on www.scubapro.com.
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