The Christ the King statue, located at the bottom of the sea on Las Gatas beach in this municipality, shows noticeable deterioration, and even lacks hands.
French diver Frederick Bouchet said that although the statue, which is more than three meters tall, no longer has hands anywhere, it remains a tourist attraction, an emblematic monument on that beach.
The diving expert and promoter of biodiversity conservation in this city commented that on the occasions he has dived at the site where the Christ the King statue is located, he can see that the metal structure is already showing signs of deterioration and is rusty.
“Sadly, it became customary to tie a rope to it so tourists could go down to see the statue, until now, as it is now, it no longer has any,” he expressed.
Frederick said that about five years ago, when the first hand fell, he sought help from authorities such as the Harbor Master’s Office, the Church, and even the municipal government. However, he said he realized that Christ the King, as a tourist attraction, was also “a monument to discord, subject to much discussion, and nothing could be done to restore it.”
“Today, more than the discussion about whether it should be taken out of the water or not, or who should be responsible for its restoration, the only truth is that it’s still there and is deteriorating even further, like any underwater structure.”
He added that the monument is home to many marine species because it has become like an artificial reef.
“My opinion is that if it’s going to be removed, an alternative replacement must be found. The ideal approach would be to remove it by making a mold and replacing it, just as was done in Acapulco with the Virgin of the Seas on La Roqueta Island, but the problem is that all of this requires prior studies regarding the maintenance and upkeep of the maritime zone,” he stated.
Source: guerrero.quadratin
