A unique ‘archaeological’ scuba park featuring 26 well-preserved underwater shipwrecks open to visitors in the Gulf of Evia will be created, following an agreement reached on Wednesday between Attica Regional Authority governor Rena Dourou, Marathon Mayor Ilias Psinakis, Lavrio Mayor Dimitris Loukas and Culture Minister Aristidis Baltas.

The diving park will act as an “underwater museum” displaying 26 shipwrecks and will have six visitable sites in the Styra island group, the Kavalliani – Almyropotamos Cove area, the Petalioi islands, Akio island and Portolafia in Evia, Makronisos and the Lavreo area, according to a statement issued by culture ministry .

The project is meant to boost the national and local economy, the development of tourism and to promote the area’s unique underwater monuments, while at the same time to create new jobs, the announcement said.

The planned project will be implemented after the signature of a memorandum of cooperation between the Lavrio and Marathon municipalities, with financial and other assistance from the Attica Region.