Italian divers clean Christ statue
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ROME (AP) -- Police divers have cleaned one of the biggest underwater attractions of the Mediterranean, using pressurized water hoses to remove crustaceans from the "Christ of the Abyss" statue that was placed on the seabed off Italy's northern coast in 1954 as a memorial to those who have died at sea.
The approximately 8-feet tall bronze statue, depicting Christ with his hands raised in blessing, was made using the melted-down medals of Italy's fallen soldiers, canons and ships and is appreciated here as a potent symbol of sacrifice in World War II. Similar statues are found off Key Largo, Florida and in Grenada.
The statue is located about 300 yards off the beach between the resort towns of Portofino and Camogli, on Italy's northern Ligurian coast, at a depth of around 18 yards.
The archaeological office of Italy's Culture Ministry says that, because of its proximity to the coast and relatively shallow depth, the "Christ of the Abyss" site is the most frequented dive spot in the Mediterranean. The site, located in the bay of San Fruttuoso, also draws kayakers and paddleboarders since the statue can be seen from the surface.
Every year, police divers carefully water-blast the statue to remove bacteria and corrosive crustations that have accumulated. The cleaning, which this year took place on Aug. 19, uses seawater itself and causes no damage to the bronze or the marine ecosystem as the microorganisms are dislodged and released back into the sea, said Alessandra Cabella, art historian from the Ligurian archaeology superintendent's office.