Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has instructed officials to develop a comprehensive plan to capitalize on Alexandria's submerged antiquities in Abu Qir Bay, aiming to turn them into a major tourism attraction. In a meeting on Monday with senior officials and experts, Madbouly called for a full inventory of underwater artefacts and tasked authorities with evaluating two main approaches: extracting selected pieces for museum exhibition or establishing underwater sites for guided tourist diving. The meeting brought together key stakeholders, including Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy, Alexandria Governor Ahmed Khaled, Rear Admiral Sameh Suleiman of the Naval Hydrographic Department, Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) Secretary-General Mohamed Ismail, and representatives from the Tourism and Antiquities Police and Port Security Administration. Madbouly emphasized the strategic potential of underwater heritage in Abu Qir Bay to strengthen Egypt's tourism sector, describing it as a promising pillar of the national economy. He encouraged exploration of international models—such as underwater museums with marked tourist routes—and urged officials to study both feasibility and preservation aspects, in line with global standards. SCA Secretary-General Ismail briefed the attendees on ongoing efforts with UNESCO and other partners to assess the viability of an underwater museum. He also discussed the council's protocols for managing submerged antiquities, particularly regarding safe extraction, and noted the continued potential for new discoveries in Egyptian waters. Alexandria Governor Ahmed Khaled proposed leveraging partnerships with international archaeological missions and suggested displaying artefacts in tourist-friendly locations to enrich Alexandria's cultural offerings. He also supported the idea of developing select sites as diving destinations to allow visitors to experience submerged heritage firsthand. Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy reaffirmed his ministry's commitment to preserving Abu Qir's submerged artefacts and acknowledged the efforts of the SCA. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Prime Minister instructed the relevant bodies to compile a detailed inventory of artefacts deemed suitable for museum display and to propose a development plan for underwater tourist sites. He requested a comprehensive vision for these initiatives within one month. Fathy confirmed the ministry would present the requested vision, which will outline potential dive sites and museum candidates, in accordance with national and UNESCO guidelines.
