World AP PHOTOS: Greece's great declutter at battle coastline

SALAMINA, Greece (AP) — Greece is commemorating one of the greatest naval battles in ancient history this year at Salamis, the claw-shaped island skirting the mainland near Athens.

© Provided by Associated Press Workers pull a wire rope as they prepare to raise a shipwreck on Salamina island, west of Athens, on Friday, Nov. 8, 2019. Greece this year is commemorating one of the greatest naval battles in ancient history at Salamis, where the invading Persian navy suffered a heavy defeat 2,500 years ago. But before the celebrations can start in earnest, authorities and private donors are leaning into a massive decluttering operation. They are clearing the coastline of dozens of sunken and partially sunken cargo ships, sailboats and other abandoned vessels. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

© Provided by Associated Press A floating crane holds an old vessel as a worker checks the progress of shipwreck raising operation on Salamina island, west of Athens, on Friday, Nov. 8, 2019. Greece this year is commemorating one of the greatest naval battles in ancient history at Salamis, where the invading Persian navy suffered a heavy defeat 2,500 years ago. But before the celebrations can start in earnest, authorities and private donors are leaning into a massive decluttering operation. They are clearing the coastline of dozens of sunken and partially sunken cargo ships, sailboats and other abandoned vessels. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

It’s where the invading Persian navy suffered a heavy defeat 2,500 years ago, their large vessels unable to properly maneuver in the narrow seaways.

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Photo " Coastline of Zakynthos, Greece " can be used for personal and commercial purposes according to the conditions of the purchased Royalty-free license. The image is available for download in high resolution quality up to 3888x2592.

Photo " Coastline of Zakynthos, Greece " can be used for personal and commercial purposes according to the conditions of the purchased Royalty-free license. The image is available for download in high resolution quality up to 3888x2592.

© Provided by Associated Press A dinghy with workers leaves from Damari, an area with eleven shipwrecks, on Salamina island, west of Athens, on Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2020. Greece this year is commemorating one of the greatest naval battles in ancient history at Salamis, where the invading Persian navy suffered a heavy defeat 2,500 years ago. But before the celebrations can start in earnest, authorities and private donors are leaning into a massive decluttering operation. They are clearing the coastline of dozens of sunken and partially sunken cargo ships, sailboats and other abandoned vessels. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Salamis, now known as Salamina, has become an extended suburb of the capital, a blue-collar retirement and summer home spot.

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Download royalty-free Coastline at the sea, Greece stock photo 213482554 from Depositphotos collection of millions of premium high-resolution stock photos , vector images and illustrations. Coastline at the sea, Greece - stock image.

Photo " Coastline of Zakynthos, Greece " can be used for personal and commercial purposes according to the conditions of the purchased Royalty-free license. The image is available for download in high resolution quality up to 3888x2592.

© Provided by Associated Press A submarine approaches its naval base as a half sunken ship is seen near a shipyard on Salamina island, west of Athens, on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2020. Greece this year is commemorating one of the greatest naval battles in ancient history at Salamis, where the invading Persian navy suffered a heavy defeat 2,500 years ago. But before the celebrations can start in earnest, authorities and private donors are leaning into a massive decluttering operation. They are clearing the coastline of dozens of sunken and partially sunken cargo ships, sailboats and other abandoned vessels. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

It still looks out over a fleet of sunken and partially sunken vessels.

© Provided by Associated Press A diver pulls a shipwreck's rope during a raising operation, on Salamina island, west of Athens, on Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2020. Greece this year is commemorating one of the greatest naval battles in ancient history at Salamis, where the invading Persian navy suffered a heavy defeat 2,500 years ago. But before the celebrations can start in earnest, authorities and private donors are leaning into a massive decluttering operation. They are clearing the coastline of dozens of sunken and partially sunken cargo ships, sailboats and other abandoned vessels. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Heavily rusted cargo ships and tugboats, battered sailboats and fishing trawlers are scattered and abandoned between Salamina and Greece’s largest industrial zone with oil refineries, shipyards and a massive Chinese-owned container port.

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Coastline of Kissamos town on Crete with Samaria mountains, Greece .

© Provided by Associated Press A diver checks an old vessel during a shipwreck raising operation, on Salamina island, west of Athens, on Friday, Nov. 8, 2019. Greece this year is commemorating one of the greatest naval battles in ancient history at Salamis, where the invading Persian navy suffered a heavy defeat 2,500 years ago. But before the celebrations can start in earnest, authorities and private donors are leaning into a massive decluttering operation. They are clearing the coastline of dozens of sunken and partially sunken cargo ships, sailboats and other abandoned vessels. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

With the main commemoration events just months away, Greece is in a race to declutter the coastline and has already salvaged dozens of ships, which are dragged to shore, cut up and transported to scrapyards in central Greece.

© Provided by Associated Press A worker pumps out water from a shipwreck during a raising operation, on Salamina island, west of Athens, on Friday, Nov. 8, 2019. Greece this year is commemorating one of the greatest naval battles in ancient history at Salamis, where the invading Persian navy suffered a heavy defeat 2,500 years ago. But before the celebrations can start in earnest, authorities and private donors are leaning into a massive decluttering operation. They are clearing the coastline of dozens of sunken and partially sunken cargo ships, sailboats and other abandoned vessels. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

“This is a historic site and it’s in terrible shape,” said Christos Maridakis, a gruff-spoken retired submarine officer from the Salamis International Foundation, a privately-funded organization helping with the commemoration events.

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Download royalty-free Coastline of Zakynthos island in Greece stock photo 3869200 from Depositphotos collection of millions of premium high-resolution stock photos , vector images and illustrations. Usage Information. Photo " Coastline of Zakynthos, Greece " can be used for personal

Crete, Greece stock photo 60431701 from Depositphotos collection of millions of premium high-resolution stock photos , vector images and illustrations. Photo " Coastline . Crete, Greece " can be used for personal and commercial purposes according to the conditions of the purchased Royalty-free

© Provided by Associated Press A man fishes as a floating crane prepares to raise a shipwreck, on Salamina island, west of Athens, on Monday, Aug. 26, 2019. Greece this year is commemorating one of the greatest naval battles in ancient history at Salamis, where the invading Persian navy suffered a heavy defeat 2,500 years ago. But before the celebrations can start in earnest, authorities and private donors are leaning into a massive decluttering operation. They are clearing the coastline of dozens of sunken and partially sunken cargo ships, sailboats and other abandoned vessels. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

“People working here are full of passion to get the job done in the short time we have. It’s a battle,” he said, standing near two excavators on the Salamina shoreline, with rollers partially submerged.

© Provided by Associated Press A man holds a bucket with fish in Damari, an area with eleven shipwrecks, on Salamina island, west of Athens, on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2020. Greece this year is commemorating one of the greatest naval battles in ancient history at Salamis, where the invading Persian navy suffered a heavy defeat 2,500 years ago. But before the celebrations can start in earnest, authorities and private donors are leaning into a massive decluttering operation. They are clearing the coastline of dozens of sunken and partially sunken cargo ships, sailboats and other abandoned vessels. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

The machines are used to lift chunks of metal onto land, to be cut into smaller pieces.

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© Provided by Associated Press A diver takes a break on a half sunken ship in Damari, an area with eleven shipwrecks, on Salamina island, west of Athens, on Friday, Nov. 8, 2019. Greece this year is commemorating one of the greatest naval battles in ancient history at Salamis, where the invading Persian navy suffered a heavy defeat 2,500 years ago. But before the celebrations can start in earnest, authorities and private donors are leaning into a massive decluttering operation. They are clearing the coastline of dozens of sunken and partially sunken cargo ships, sailboats and other abandoned vessels. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

“So far we’ve pulled up 36 vessels of the 50 we were contracted for,” said Giorgos Kallaitzidis, a scrap metal contractor, which operates four salvaging areas on the island. “We separate the material from the vessels onshore, mostly wood and metal, then it’s loaded up into trucks.”

© Provided by Associated Press An amateur fisherman with speargun prepares to dive next to a part of shipwreck in Damari, an area with eleven shipwrecks, on Salamina island, west of Athens, on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2020. Greece this year is commemorating one of the greatest naval battles in ancient history at Salamis, where the invading Persian navy suffered a heavy defeat 2,500 years ago. But before the celebrations can start in earnest, authorities and private donors are leaning into a massive decluttering operation. They are clearing the coastline of dozens of sunken and partially sunken cargo ships, sailboats and other abandoned vessels. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Salamis-related events include multiple museum exhibitions and the issue of a 10-euro commemorative coin by the Bank of Greece. The events will run through 2021 when Greece will also hold bicentennial celebrations for the anniversary of the Greek Revolution and war of independence from Ottoman rule.

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© Provided by Associated Press A worker walks into the sea as a crew tries to pull out from the water an abandoned vessel on Salamina island, west of Athens, on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019. Greece this year is commemorating one of the greatest naval battles in ancient history at Salamis, where the invading Persian navy suffered a heavy defeat 2,500 years ago. But before the celebrations can start in earnest, authorities and private donors are leaning into a massive decluttering operation. They are clearing the coastline of dozens of sunken and partially sunken cargo ships, sailboats and other abandoned vessels. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

The 480 BC Battle of Salamis is seen many historians as a turning point in history that allowed ancient Greece to flourish. It’s a view keenly shared by Maridakis, who still wears his old navy submarine hat to shield himself from the sun.

© Provided by Associated Press A wire rope holds a platform with a floating rope during a shipwreck raising operation on Salamina island, west of Athens, on Friday, Nov. 8, 2019. Greece this year is commemorating one of the greatest naval battles in ancient history at Salamis, where the invading Persian navy suffered a heavy defeat 2,500 years ago. But before the celebrations can start in earnest, authorities and private donors are leaning into a massive decluttering operation. They are clearing the coastline of dozens of sunken and partially sunken cargo ships, sailboats and other abandoned vessels. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

“This is the 2,500th birthday not just for us but for Europe and Western civilization,” he said. “After what happened here, we discovered democracy, theater, philosophy. If we had not prevailed at Salamis, our way of life would probably be different — less free.”

© Provided by Associated Press A floating crane holds an old vessel in Damari, an area with eleven shipwrecks, during shipwreck raising operation on Salamina island, west of Athens, on Friday, Nov. 8, 2019. Greece this year is commemorating one of the greatest naval battles in ancient history at Salamis, where the invading Persian navy suffered a heavy defeat 2,500 years ago. But before the celebrations can start in earnest, authorities and private donors are leaning into a massive decluttering operation. They are clearing the coastline of dozens of sunken and partially sunken cargo ships, sailboats and other abandoned vessels. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

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© Provided by Associated Press A diver inspects a shipwreck during a raising operation, on Salamina island, west of Athens, on Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2020. Greece this year is commemorating one of the greatest naval battles in ancient history at Salamis, where the invading Persian navy suffered a heavy defeat 2,500 years ago. But before the celebrations can start in earnest, authorities and private donors are leaning into a massive decluttering operation. They are clearing the coastline of dozens of sunken and partially sunken cargo ships, sailboats and other abandoned vessels. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

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