A British diving instructor has discovered that a wreck scuttled off Manoel Island and which for years was thought to be an ordinary barge is actually a historic Waterlighter that was built for the 1915 Gallipoli landings.
Dave Mallard, from the Isle of Wight, and local diving instructor Tonio Anastasi are now appealing to the authorities to take steps to preserve the wreck and ensure it is not harmed by any work related to the Manoel Island project.
Mr Anastasi, a diver with over 25 years' experience who regularly accompanies other divers to the wreck - located about 18 metres underwater, just off the old isolation hospital on Manoel island - said locals had always presumed it was a barge of little historical significance until Mr Mallard told him otherwise.
Mr Mallard made his finding after diving on the wreck known by local divers as the Coral or Coralita last March and carrying out a complete underwater survey.
"All my research led me to the finding that this 'barge' is actually a vessel of huge historical significance," said the diver who is a member of both the Nautical Archaeology Society and the Hampshire and Wight Trust for Maritime Archaeology.
Mr Mallard's said that X131 Waterlighter was one of 200 designed by Walter Pollock and Son of Faversham in Kent for the Dardenelles (Gallipoli) campaign in 1915, one of the bloodiest battles of World War I.
"Malta was the support base for the campaign so it is not surprising that many were still in use in Malta. The only X-Lighter sunk between 1939 - 1957 was the X131." He said that Lloyds war losses stated that the vessel was sunk in Grand Harbour's no. 3 dock, probably after being split in two by a mine, before it got to its current resting place. Mr Mallard is still trying to find out precisely where it was built but he is certain it was at a 'yard in England or Scotland and he has been unable to find out so far if it was used in battle.
"Although 200 were built, this is the only wreck and it is in superb condition. The only other vessel of its kind that I have located is a converted one in London."
The X-Lighters were built as a matter of extreme urgency and were designed with a spoon-shaped bow to better enable the vessels to take to the beach for the landings. They were about 30 metres in length.
Mr Mallard informed Mr Anastasi and other divers of the find because he was afraid it would be damaged by the development taking place at Manoel island.
Mr Anastasi and himself would now like the wreck to be protected by a preservation order. Alternatively, they said, it should be moved to a safer place. This would be possible since its two sections were still in good condition.
Neither of them know why this vessel came to be known as an old barge as Mr Mallard's research has now revealed that the Coral was a 760-tonne fishing vessel which was sunk just outside Grand Harbour while the Coralita was never sunk.