Fast sinking hoped to raise tourism in Turkey

The Turkish resort of Bodrum on the Aegean coast is hoping to attract 150,000 more tourists through the scuba diving attraction it has provided by deliberately sinking two warships and a plane last year.

Bodrum Black Island Artificial Ledge and Sunken Rocks project was begun last year in a bid to create a major diving attraction to bring in the crowds, Hurriyet reports.

The paper quoted the words of the chairman of the Bodrum Underwater Association Ihsan Kucukunal, to the Turkish Daily News last week stating that the island has created plenty of interest.

Mr Kucukunal told the paper he hoped more could be added, stating: "Our aim is to increase the diving points other than the Black Island and thus bring more tourists to our country."

Last week Todays Zaman stated that the Turkish tourism economy has boomed since the 1990s.