A massive, underwater theme park is coming to Bahrain and divers are in for a treat! The park sprawls across 100,000 square metres and the first phase of the project is well underway.
What’s It?
As part of phase one, local and international divers teamed to together to lower a Boeing 747 aircraft into the Arabian waters. This is the first ever aircraft being immersed into the water. The Dive Bahrain team worked meticulously for eight months to ensure the aircraft was environmentally friendly. All plastic materials, bolts and nuts were removed from the aircraft, to ensure no harm was caused to the underwater ecosystem.
The jumbo plane measures 70 metres in length and will rest at a depth of 24 metres underwater. The 747 Boeing aircraft is said to be the highlight of the underwater theme park, which will be the world’s biggest when completed.
Hamad Al Mahmeed, project manager at Dive Bahrain said: ““We could have just sunk it the way it was when it was transported here, but that’s not our intention. Every hazardous material has been removed; all plastic material has been removed. Even the bolts and the screws were removed so that we could clean any oil residue, before putting them back on.”
Apart from the aircraft, the dive site will also house a 900 square metre pearl merchant house and sail structure that will indicate the nearby Unesco-listed pearl beds.
And that’s not all! The theme park is also eco-friendly, in the sense that it adheres to the eco-friendly standards and promotes marine growth. Bahrain has its roots strong in pearl diving and this is an attempt to keep the country’s tradition alive.
The project is expected to open in August this year.
What Else?
Meanwhile, if you’re planning a trip to water theme parks this summer, here’s our list of top theme parks in the UAE that are totally worth a trip.