Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathi witnessed on Thursday 21/8/2025 the first recovery operation of sunken antiquities in 25 years at Abu Qir area in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria.

The recovery event was attended by Alexandria Governor Ahmed Khaled in addition to other senior officials at the Tourism Ministry.

The minister thanked all workers at the Sunken Antiquities Department and Alexandria City Hall for their efforts to complete the retrieval operation successfully.

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The Underwater Antiquities Department has recovered several artifacts from beneath the waters of the Mediterranean Sea in Abu Qir area in eastern Alexandria governorate.

The minister of antiquities was briefed by the team of archaeologists overseeing the underwater recovery operation on the nature and significance of the retrieved pieces.

The artifacts included statues of human figures and various tools from different historical periods, particularly the Roman era, such as parts of a millstone.

The latest excavation falls within the framework of the cultural heritage underwater program, which began on Wednesday and runs throughout Thursday across several museums and archaeological sites in Alexandria governorate.

The Minister praised efforts of the underwater antiquities sector, noting that the Antiquities Ministry mulls showcasing the artifacts in a museum exhibition or establishing an underwater museum in Alexandria.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) conventions allow for the recovery of certain pieces while others must remain submerged, the minister said, underscoring that the recovered artifacts were extracted in full compliance with international standards and agreements.