Over 150,000 dives for submerged warships in Turkey

The Bodrum Black Island Artificial Ledge and Sunken Rocks project was prepared in the Bodrum district of Mugla to improve underwater tourism.

The war planes and ships form a shelter for many sea creatures as well as helping diving tourism, chairman of the Bodrum Underwater Association (BOSAD), Ihsan Kücükünal was quoted by Turkish Daily News as saying on Thursday.

"There has been a lot interest in the warships and plane submerged in different bays of the Black Island. Our aim is to increase the diving points other than the Black Island and thus bring more tourists to our country," he said.

As part the project, prepared by BOSAD and accomplished with support of the Aegean coast guard, the submerged warships and warplane in the Pacoz and Kacakci bays of the Black Island, four miles from Bodrum, have attracted a huge number of tourists.

The project aims at improving and popularizing the sport of diving, which has for many become more of a hobby instead than a sport.  Turkey targets at least 500,000 divers to visit the historical sunks in one year.