- A retired Airbus A300 was sunk off Kusadasi, Turkey, in 2016 to create an artificial reef
- The 54-metre plane settled at 22 metres depth after a three-hour descent to the seabed
- Built in 1980, the aircraft served Olympic Airways and later flew cargo in Turkey until retirement
A giant Airbus A300 made its final landing in 2016, not at an airport, but on the floor of the Aegean Sea. Turkish authorities deliberately sank the retired aircraft off the resort town of Kusadasi in Aydin province. The unusual move had two clear goals: create an artificial reef for marine life and turn the wreck into a major attraction for diving tourism.
The 54-metre-long aircraft was lowered into the sea on a calm, sunny day in June 2016. After taking a little over three hours to reach its final destination, the massive plane came to rest on the sandy seabed at a depth of around 22 metres.
From Passenger Flights To The Seabed
The Airbus A300 had a long life before becoming an underwater attraction. Built in Toulouse in 1980, the aircraft first took off on March 14 that year. It went on to complete thousands of flights. For nearly two decades, it served Greece's Olympic Airways before being converted for cargo operations. From June 2006, it flew cargo in Turkey.
Eventually, the aircraft was retired when high inspection costs made it commercially unviable. But retirement was not the end of its story. The 36-year-old aircraft was purchased by Aydin municipality from a private aviation company for 270,000 Turkish lira, then valued at around $93,000 (approximately Rs 8,839,239).
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It was dismantled and transported by road from Istanbul to Kusadasi, where it was reassembled for one final journey.
A Plane Prepared For Life Underwater
Before the Airbus was sent into the sea, it had to be carefully prepared. Dangerous components were removed. Obstacles, like glass and sharp-edged parts, inside the aircraft were cleared. The idea was to make the wreck suitable for divers while allowing it to serve another purpose underwater.
Once submerged, the aircraft would act like an artificial reef. Such structures can become gathering points for underwater flora and fauna, eventually creating an entirely new environment around the wreck.
A New Attraction For Divers
The wreck was placed on a level sandy seabed, with the dive beginning at around 17 metres. Its enormous size immediately became part of the attraction. From above, divers can see the full scale of the aircraft. They can enter through the side of the fuselage and move through its long interior.
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One of the biggest highlights is reaching the cockpit. The original fittings, cables and switches were removed before the sinking, but divers can still enter the cockpit and sit in one of its three seats. The retired aircraft was also secured firmly to the seafloor to withstand storms.
Turkey had previously sunk three smaller aircraft off its resorts to encourage diving tourism. But the Airbus A300 was on an entirely different scale. With a length of 54 metres and a wingspan of about 44 to 45 metres, it was the first aircraft of such size to be deliberately sent to the seabed in Turkey.
