Ayvalık reopens famed Byzantine wreck to divers
BALIKESİR
1,500-year-old Byzantine shipwreck in the Yellice area of Ayvalık, locally known as “İncirli,” has been opened to recreational diving, marking a significant development for the district’s underwater tourism and maritime archaeology.
Ayvalık, home to Türkiye’s largest national diving park, recently saw the reopening of several historically significant underwater sites that had previously been closed to diving under a presidential decree. The move, supported by initiatives from the Ayvalık Chamber of Commerce, has been welcomed by tourism stakeholders in the region.
The Byzantine wreck has attracted considerable attention since diving permits were reinstated. Kubilay Kılıç, owner and instructor of ProDivers Diving School, said divers were excited to once again explore the historic wreck in the Yellice area.
