A former Flybe BAe 146 was the site of an unusual diving record. The fuselage of series 100 G-JEAU (msn E1035) was placed in the National Diving & Activity Centre (NDAC), near Chepstow (Gloucestershire), in December 2007, at a depth of about 25m. On 10 January, a group of 128 divers dove on the wreck to break the world’s extreme ironing record. According to its website, extreme ironing is a sport “that combines the thrills of an extreme outdoor activity with the satisfaction of a well pressed shirt.” Participants must take an iron and board to a remote location and iron a few items of laundry. “Seeing ten divers all lined up on top of the wreck of a BAe 146 aeroplane with their ironing boards was one of the most surreal sights I have ever seen,” said one participant, with typical British understatement. The event raised over UKP8,000 for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
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