Off Turkish coast, relics of sunken French warship offer thrilling diving experience

By Fatih Hepokur

ANTALYA, Türkiye (AA) – The remains of a French warship Paris 2 that sank during World War I off the coast of Antalya, Türkiye's popular Mediterranean resort city, offers a mesmerizing spectacle for divers and underwater photographers.

Among the top 100 diving sites globally, the shipwreck garners significant interest from diving enthusiasts.

At a depth of 33 meters (108.6 feet), the Paris 2 boasts six anti-aircraft guns and two torpedo tubes. Measuring 50 meters (164 feet) in length, eight meters (26 feet) in width, and weighing 551 gross tons, the ship remains a remarkable sight for divers.

Located approximately 1.5 kilometers off in the Kemer marina, the sunken wreck was discovered in 1995 and lies on a flat seabed.

Diving instructor Suat Karaman, who organizes diving tours in Kemer, told Anadolu that they started the diving season in May, and they also organize daily tours of the shipwreck.

Karaman said Paris 2, which was sunk by an artillery battery under the command of Turkish captain Mustafa Ertugrul Aker in World War I, was built as a fishing ship in 1896, but was turned into a warship and sent to the Mediterranean during World War I.