HMS Majestic

HMS Majestic was a British Royal Navy pre-dreadnought battleship, the largest of nine such ships, sunk by a U-boat near Cape Helles off Seddülbahir during the 1915 Gallipoli campaign. It is one of the wrecks in the Gallipoli Historical Underwater Park in Çanakkale, which opened to divers in October 2021 as a World War I themed underwater park.

What you'll see

Majestic is a battleship of about 120 m and it is the first stop for divers in the park. Wrecks in the park are described as largely intact on the seabed. The park also holds other wartime wrecks, including HMS Triumph, Saghalien, Milo and Massena, and sits within an area where leftover ordnance was cleared before opening. Work before opening included seabed mapping and 3D models of each wreck.

How it's dived

Divers reach the wrecks by motor boat and then dive. Dives have to be guided by local professionals certified by the Turkish Underwater Sports Federation. One report puts Majestic at about 24 m off Seddülbahir. Movable items were taken off the wrecks for conservation before the park opened.

Hazards and rules

Dives in the park must be led by a certified local guide. Leftover explosive ordnance was removed under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism before the park opened.

Sources

• Divernet: Underwater parks boost Turkey's dive-appeal
• The Star: Shipwrecks of World War I are a seabed museum in Turkey
• Hurriyet Daily News: Gallipoli Underwater Park opens to diving tourism