CRI听力:'Titanic of the Med' Wreck Lures Thousands of Divers to Cyprus

"This is one of the biggest wrecks in the world here, also it's very nice. The weather is good. You don't have any current so you just take pleasure in traveling all around the ship."

16-year-old Andrei Pligin is a diving enthusiast from Russia.

He's one a growing number of underwater adventurers who have travelled to Cyprus to explore the MS Zenobia.

The massive cargo ferry, running nearly 180-meters in length, went down about 2-kilometers off the port of Larnaca in Cyprus in 1980 with around 300-million US dollars worth of cargo on it at the time.

Local legend has it that the boat's owner never collected on the insurance, deciding instead not to bother salvaging it.

True or not, the sinking of the Zenobia in roughly 40-meters of water has turned it into one of the most popular destinations for divers in the Mediterranean.

Cypriot authorities have since declared the Zenobia a marine-protected artificial reef, which is now attracting around 45-thousand divers a year.

Jonathan Wilson with the Cyprus Dive Centre Association says the Zenobia brings in revenues of around 15-million euros a year for them.

He says the massive revenues have sparked debate about creating another "Zenobia" in the area.

"Another wreck of around 100 meters long should bring in somewhere between 6 million. Even if you call it 3 million each year, it's a very small amount of money to buy a wreck and sink it for 300-thouand (euros) to bring in 3 million euros each year for the next 20, 30, 50 years."

Beyond the tourism revenues, the wreck is also benefitting the local biodiversity, and is said to be helping restock dwindling fish life around Larnaca.

This has led to calls for a fishing ban around the Zenobia to try to preserve, what has turned into, the biggest coral reef off Cyprus.

Nicos Kouyialis, Cypriot Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, says the government of Cyprus is fully aware of the site's potential.

"We are in the process of creating a network of marine-protected areas and artificial reefs. We will definitely spend money in the area close to the wreck there."

The Zenobia site is somewhat unique, as its depth level allows for both beginners and more experienced divers to enjoy it.

Beginner divers can easily access the outside of the ship, while veteran divers can explore the inside of the Zenobia, which sank with numerous pieces of cargo in it.

For CRI, I'm Qian Shanming.