Sunken French warship offers thrilling dive off Turkish coast
Divers are photographed next to the remains of the Paris 2 ship that sank in the Mediterranean during World War I, Antalya, southern Türkiye, May 22, 2023. (AA Photo)


Remnants of a French warship, Paris 2, that sank off the coast of Türkiye's famed Mediterranean resort city Antalya during World War I, offer a splendid 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.

The remains of the Paris 2 ship that sank in the Mediterranean during World War I, Antalya, southern Türkiye, May 22, 2023. (AA Photo)
A diver is photographed swimming close to the remains of the Paris 2 ship that sank in the Mediterranean during World War I, Antalya, southern Türkiye, May 22, 2023. (AA Photo)

Located approximately 1.5 kilometers off the coast 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 Agency (AA) that they started the diving season in May and organized daily tours of the shipwreck.

Karaman said Paris 2, which was sunk by an artillery battery under the command of Turkish Capt. Mustafa Ertuğrul 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.