TURKEY authorities scuttle AIRBUS to generate REEF
A municipality in western Turkey has sunk a 54-meter- (177-foot-) long aircraft in hopes of reviving tourism in the area The Airbus A300 - with a price tag of 93,000 US dollars and weighing in at 47 tons - was submerged in the Aegean Sea on Saturday off the shore of Kusadasi Local authorities hope the sunken jet, which will become artificial reef, will boost underwater diving in the region Turkish officials say the number of foreign visitors declined by nearly 30 percent in April amid security concerns and strained ties with Russia. The trend is a worrying development for the country's economy, which relies heavily on tourism revenues. A row with Moscow over Turkey's downing of a Russian plane in November has also resulted in fewer visitors from Russia.
A municipality in western Turkey has sunk a 54-meter- (177-foot-) long aircraft in hopes of reviving tourism in the area The Airbus A300 - with a price tag of 93,000 US dollars and weighing in at 47 tons - was submerged in the Aegean Sea on Saturday off the shore of Kusadasi Local authorities hope the sunken jet, which will become artificial reef, will boost underwater diving in the region Turkish officials say the number of foreign visitors declined by nearly 30 percent in April amid security concerns and strained ties with Russia. The trend is a worrying development for the country's economy, which relies heavily on tourism revenues. A row with Moscow over Turkey's downing of a Russian plane in November has also resulted in fewer visitors from Russia.