Divers from Italy's police, navy and emergency services carried out the annual cleaning of the Christ of the Abyss statue off the coast of San Fruttuoso, Liguria.

Placed on the seabed in 1954, the 2.5-metre statue was created by sculptor Guido Galletti as a memorial to those who lost their lives at sea.

Made from melted-down metals from medals, cannons and ships, it has become a symbol of remembrance in Italy.

The cleaning operation is coordinated by the Liguria Superintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape, with divers using pressurised water to protect the bronze surface.