In the early 1930s, Omar Toussoun found important archaeological remains of several Coptic monasteries located on the line of the Holy Family's journey. In the late 1930s, a pilot sighted archaeological remains covering a large area underwater. With the guidance of local fishermen and the aid of divers, Toussoun was able to locate several huge structures and recover a statue of Alexander the Great, now on display in the Greco-Roman Museum.