Jordan sank a retired C-130 to create reef; marine life now thrives around it
Jordan has successfully repurposed a retired Lockheed C-130 military aircraft as an artificial reef off the coast of Aqaba. The submerged plane now serves as a habitat for marine life and a popular destination for recreational divers.
Why it matters
This project demonstrates an innovative approach to marine conservation and eco-tourism by repurposing military hardware into sustainable underwater ecosystems.
A retired military aircraft has found an unusual second life beneath the Red Sea after Jordan deliberately sank it off Aqaba in 2017 to create an artificial reef. The Lockheed C-130 Hercules, a roughly 30-metre-long military transport aircraft, was placed underwater on November 16, 2017, about 300 metres from the Aqaba shoreline. It now rests on the seabed at roughly 16–17 metres and has become an unusual attraction for divers while providing a new structure for marine life, according to a report by Aqaba Dive Academy. Instead of being dismantled after its military service, the aircraft was repurposed as part of efforts to create an artificial habitat in Aqaba's coastal waters.
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