32
S
ome 150 people dived the Zenobia
shipwreck off Larnaca on 27 June 2015 as
part of a mass event to mark Zenobia Week,
which ran from 23 until 30 June.
The dive was jointly organised by the
Municipality of Larnaka and the town’s tourism
development and promotion company ETAP.
President of ETAP Dinos Lefkaritis told the
Cyprus News Agency that Zenobia Week was
a huge success. He said dozens of divers had
come from abroad specifically to take part in
the mass dive, at what is considered one of the
world’s top ten dive sites.
Aseries of events, lectures, exhibitions – including
an outdoor display along the Phinikoudes seafront
– and a video competition were held.
Lefkaritis said the wreck attracts around 45,000
divers a year. “The Zenobia is one of the best
shipwrecks in the world,” he said, adding
further that a number of Greek divers had
brought the Greek flag to the wreck during the
event to show support to the country while its
leaders negotiate a bailout agreement.
To wrap up the week of events on 30 June, a
conference was held on managing artificial reefs
under the auspices of the Ministry ofAgriculture,
Natural Resources and Environment.
The largest shipwreck in the Mediterranean
The Zenobia sank in June 1980 on its maiden
voyage from Sweden to Syria when it capsized
off Larnaka. It is the largest shipwreck in the
Mediterranean at 174 metres long, 28 metres
wide and 21 metres high. It held 108 shipping
containers full of cargo such as cars, military
equipment, telecommunication systems, air
Zenobia Week
Larnakas underwater world photography exhibition
Free Cruises to the Zenobia