Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft sunk in Gulf of Aqaba - video

In the Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan, a giant Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft was sunk as an artificial reef.

In Jordan, in the Gulf of Aqaba, a real treat is now waiting for divers underwater. The local authorities in a massive undertaking led to the creation of an artificial reef, using for this purpose a specially prepared legendary Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft! This colossus, which we know from many an action film, has now gone under water, where it will please the eyes of diving tourists.

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New reef in the Gulf of Aqaba

On exactly 16 November 2017, the sinking of the magnificent flying machine Lockheed C-130 Hercules. While avionics fans may feel sadness and grief, every diver, like the world long and wide, is rubbing their hands and dreaming about a trip to the just created artificial reef. After all, who wouldn’t want to score a dive on such a giant?

The very idea of creating artificial reefs is nothing new. It has also happened more than once that all sorts of flying craft, including planes and helicopters, have gone under the water. Personally, however, I don’t recall such a titan and legend of the skies as the Lockheed C-130 Hercules being sunk anywhere in the world!

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

The machine measures almost 30 metres long and has a wingspan of over 40 metres! It is powered by four turboprop engines with an output of 4,300 hp each. The first Lockheed C-130 Hercules came off the production line in 1956. At present, the design is the third aircraft in continuous production since the 1950s.

The aircraft was towed three hundred metres offshore and then sunk in a shallow depth of 12-17 metres. Visibility of the wreck is +20 metres and it can be accessed either by boat or from the shore.

Other attractions

Aircraft is located in the vicinity of of the M42 Duster tank sunk a few years earlier. Divers who decide to visit the Gulf of Aqaba have the opportunity to admire the plane from the outside and explore its spacious interior. Of course, it has been prepared for this purpose beforehand.

The Royal Jordanian Navy, the Aqaba Special Economic Zone (ASEZA) and the Aqaba Port Corporation are jointly responsible for the entire project. The region’s authorities hope that in addition to creating another tourist attraction, the wreck of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules will quickly be colonised by the surrounding flora and fauna. This will not only support the local ecosystem, but will further enhance the attractiveness of diving at the site.

As in many other cases of creating artificial reefs, the fuselage of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules was cleared of all elements that could pose a threat to the environment. Fuels, oils and all toxic materials were removed, leaving only non-hazardous components.