Following pandemic-related delays, the 71-metre-long ferry boat Agenor Gordilho and the offshore tug Vega were deliberately sunk on Saturday to create an artificial reef off Brazil.
The controlled sinking of the ferry and the tugboat took place as part of the strategies of the Bahia State Tourism Secretariat to boost nautical tourism in the Todos-os-Santos Bay.
The vessel was placed at 28m deep and only one mile from the shore, in an area located on the front line of the Bahia Yacht Club, in Salvador, in a bid to boost dive tourism in the area. The assisted sinking of vessels allows the formation of artificial reefs, which favor the marine habitat and become an attraction for visitors, professional divers and scholars. The forecast is that in one year the vessel will be full of marine life.
With 71m in length and 19m in height, Agenor Gordilho made its maiden voyage on 5 December 1972 and was deployed at the Salvador-Itaparica crossing for 45 years, until it came off service in 2017.
The vessel made history as a pioneer in crossing to the Island of Itaparica and for sports fans it will be interesting to check its structure in dives under the sea,
…said State Secretary of Tourism, Fausto Franco.
Previous studies of location and environmental impacts have been carried out, while oils and fuels from the vessel were removed to meet environmental specifications.
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