By DIVE Staff
The Environmental Agency of the Sultanate of Oman has sunk an underwater ‘military museum’ for scuba divers, set to open to tourists in July later this year.
The museum, which follows in the footsteps of other Middle-Eastern projects in Jordan and Egypt, is made up of seven MAN Atlas trucks and a Skyvan aircraft, all of which were sunk in Daymaniyat Islands Nature Reserve in the governorate of South Batinah, approximately 50km northwest of Oman’s capital city, Muscat.
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While the museum does not feature the tanks and armoured vehicles sunk by Jordan and Egypt, The Omani government hopes that the museum will be a draw for divers in a country that has seen a veritable boom in tourism over the last decade.
Oman’s 3000km coastline is relatively untouched, and its reefs home to a wide variety of species, from typical coral reef critters that divers will recognise from the Red Sea, to larger pelagic species, including whale sharks.
The museum’s location near Daymaniyat Island is home to some of Oman’s popular coral reefs, which the Environment Agency hopes will encourage coral growth to turn the disused vehicles into an artificial reef, alleviating pressure from divers while also benefitting the local artisanal fishermen.
‘This initiative seeks to bolster eco-tourism by establishing a unique tourist attraction catered to diving enthusiasts, thereby enhancing Oman’s tourism sector,’ said Hamad Al-Ruzaiqi, head of Coastal Areas Department at Environment Authority. ‘The museum will open its doors to diving enthusiasts in July. We anticipate witnessing coral reefs flourish within the next six months.’
