Egypt has launched a first-of-its-kind Underwater Military Museum in the waters off Hurghada.
The museum features 15 pieces of military equipment placed in three locations to provide alternative and innovative dive sites.
According to the Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association (HEPCA), the driving force behind the idea, the museum aims to create new and interesting dive sites that can relieve the pressure on some of the other more popular sites in the area. This is because some dive sites see over 200,000 dives per year when the recommended limit is close to 10 times less at 22,000 dives per year.
The three sites for the museum equipment are:
- Erg Gamea – Magawish.
- Urog – Eltaweel.
- Shaab Elsakala
The museum features a relatively wide range of equipment from various armored personnel carriers, tanks and other heavier equipment. All the equipment was made safe before sinking.
