2000-YEAR-OLD STATUE OF ATHLETE TAKEN OUT FROM SEA NEAR LOSINJ

VELI LOSINJ, April 28 (Hina) - A statue of an athlete, believed to be a Roman copy of the Greek original work dating from 4th century BC, was taken out from the sea near the Croatian island of Losinj, northern Adriatic, on Tuesday. About 20 persons including divers, members of Croatian special police, Culture Ministry and Belgian divers, were involved in the pull-out of the 200-kilogram-heavy statue, which is 190 centimetre high, from the sea. This archaeological finding was discovered by Belgian divers and the further research began by help of their photos. The Losinj athlete is probably about 2000-year-old. According to the underwater archaeological findings, this is the 19th statue to be found in the Mediterranean. The last but one figure of such kind was discovered near Sicily about ten years ago. On the occasion of the pull-out, Croatian Culture Minister Bozo Biskupic, thanked the Belgian Embassy in Zagreb and particularly to Ambassador Franc Hintjens who mediated first meetings between the Ministry of Culture and Belgian divers. On Wednesday the statue should be placed in a pool full of fresh water in Mali Losinj in order to be desalinated. After that the figure can be restored in the Zadar-based Centre For Underwater Archaeology. The process of preserving and restoring the athlete will take a few years, and after that the statue is likely to be returned to Losinj. (hina) jn ms