Fish tank

Jordan sinks military hardware for underwater museum

Kingdom hopes tanks, ambulance, troop carrier, anti-aircraft battery, guns and a combat helicopter, submerged in a ‘tactical formation,’ will attract tourists to Aqaba

By AFP 24 July 2019, 3:53 pm Edit

This picture taken on July 24, 2019 shows a decommissioned Jordanian Armed Forces' AH-1 Cobra helicopter being submerged into the waters of the Red Sea off the coast of the southern Jordanian port city of Aqaba, as part of preparations for a new underwater military museum. (Khalil MAZRAAWI / AFP)

AQABA, Jordan — Sunken tanks, a troop carrier and a submerged helicopter: Jordan on Wednesday opened its first underwater military museum off its Red Sea coast.

The kingdom is hoping the 19 decommissioned pieces of military hardware, submerged at depths up to 28 meters (92 feet), will attract tourists to the already popular diving resort of Aqaba.

The Underwater Military Museum Dive Site includes several tanks, an ambulance, a military crane, a troop carrier, an anti-aircraft battery, guns and a combat helicopter, the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) said.

The sunken items have been “stationed along the coral reefs imitating a battle tactical formation,” ASEZA said in a statement.

This picture taken on July 24, 2019 shows a decommissioned Jordanian Armed Forces’ AH-1 Cobra helicopter being submerged into the waters of the Red Sea off the coast of the southern Jordanian port city of Aqaba, as part of preparations for a new underwater military museum. (Khalil MAZRAAWI / AFP)

The museum aims to offer a “new type” of museum experience combining “sports, environment and exhibits” for divers, snorkelers and visitors on glass-bottomed boats, it said.

The launch was marked by a ceremony with music from the Jordanian Armed Forces band and a local folk group, AFP photographers there said.