Water Wings Photo Album Above
AMAZING scenes took place as the first aircraft in Phuket's artificial coral reef went to the bottom of Bang Tao Bay today.
Workers in hard-hats jumped onto the half-submerged aircraft as it was being lowered and knocked holes in the wings, and the tail as well.
The ageing aircraft, it appeared, was reluctant to accept its fate as an attraction on the ocean bed when there was so much inviting sky up above.
Workers and divers eventually won the battle. The D2 Dakota took about 40 minutes to sink beneath the surface, beginning at 2.10pm.
A small flotilla watched the action. There was one boat for divers, two for media, a dinghy and a couple of longtails to carry divers back and forth.
Down below, 10 divers were waiting to assist D2 to one final happy landing.
Hard-hat workers gave the Dakota a good luck salute with firecrackers. The old plane went down slowly, lingering close to the surface and at one stage with the tail looking a little like a shark's fin.
Then she went down. She will sit on the bottom 20 metres below the surface. Her flying days will not be forgotten.
Divers will come to see her and the legend of the Dakota will live on.
Eventually, the sky dive reef will attract plenty of tourists and take the pressure off Phuket's natural reefs.
More aircraft are to be sunk over the next couple of days, culminating in a big ceremony and the lowering of the last Dakota on Saturday.
Timetable for Creating a Reef
November 15 A good luck ceremony for Buddhists and Muslims is held at Ao Makham deep sea port
November 16-17 Aircraft moved by crane to the edge of the pier
November 18-22 Preparation and final balance check of the aircraft at the Phuket deep sea port
November 23 Aircraft to be lifted onto work barge then embark for artificial reef site in Bang Tao Bay.
November 24-28 The sinking of three aircraft and six helicopters to the sea bottom
November 29 The final aircraft will be sunk to mark the grand opening of the artificial reef project.
More Photos, Reading
Phuket's Coral Reef Aircraft: Photo Salute
Photo Album Phuket's coral reef squadron soared with help from a crane today and will float, not fly, to their last landing off Bang Tao beach. Security guards will say goodbye, ghosts.
Phuket's Coral Reef Aircraft: Photo Salute
Phuket Aircraft Take Off For Reef Landing
Photo Album On a final dawn patrol, Phuket's artificial reef aircraft were set for takeoff. Phuketwan recorded a deep blue Photo Album for posterity. Now for one last happy landing.
Phuket Aircraft Take Off For Reef Landing
Phuket Reef Aircraft Set For Deep Journey
Photo Album A trip to the bottom of the ocean off Phuket will soon be the final landing for some aircraft with remarkable histories. Their journey to beneath the sea is just beginning.
Phuket Reef Aircraft Set For Deep Journey
Phuket Sky Dive Reef Saved For Bang Tao
In a fuss about funding, Bang Tao almost loses its artificial Sky Dive Reef to Koh Racha. It was not plane sailing; Shock and disbelief at Immigration over the coming Russian invasion
Phuket Sky Dive Reef saved For Bang Tao
Phuket Sky Dive Reef ready To Fly Low
After months of anticipation, the artificial reef made up of a squadron of obsolete Air Force aircraft is to be kept on land until November 2008 when better weather should allow safety considerations to be taken into account
Phuket Sky Dive Reef ready To Fly Low
Sky Dive Reef To Be Cheered On Road To Phuket
Phuket's new Sky Dive Reef has arrived on the island in pieces. Scores of interested onlookers watched it pass, on its way to the bottom of the sea off Bang Tao
Sky Dive Reef To Be Cheered On Road To Phuket
