Search for diver called off

I would like to reply A.Dalli comments regarding underwater cameras,first if he was still alive he would have made some kind of a sound like knocking on some metal object so that rescuers can hear him,that is something that would come into mind first because he would know that a search for him would start as soon as the alarm is raised. It would be very hard to get something in there because its very compact and hard to maneuver something inside this wreck,and with air pockets,well its been under water for about 10 years now and i don't think there are any air pockets,i have dived this wreck and i did not see any air pockets thats for sure.

How come a remote controlled camera equipped submarine, the ones used in others countries could not be brought over in earnest to go into these high risk areas ? What if this man is still alive, trapped in some air chamber inside ? Why give up when there is no body yet ? I am sure the civil protection could ask Italy or the UK for help, such device could be over in a few hours

In answer to V. Vella's comment: The Xlendi was scuttled on 12 November 1999. I understand it was cleaned and made "diver friendly" by removing hatches, doors and other obstructions; however, the engines remained in place, presumably because they were difficult to remove.
The weather was not favourable on 12 November 1999 and when she sank she hit the sloping seabed causing her to roll and she came to rest almost upside down, held only by her masts. A storm later that winter finished the job by snapping off the mast and she rolled to just a few degrees off the fully upside down position.
As a result of this unnatural position, her engines would be hanging from their mountings which would not have been designed for those forces. Indeed the whole vessel was under some considerable strain evident from collapsing bulkheads within a year or so of her sinking. After about 5 years I suspect at least one, if not both, engines broke from their mountings bringing down debris and ancillary machinery into what was the car deck space.
Several years ago you could dive all the way through the car deck; today it is completely full of debris.

The wreck is probably full of debris due to the fact that the wreck is currently sitting upside down and most of the debris were actually caught inside the wreck. This makes the wreck dangerous to penetrate, therefore dangerous to clear.

"But allow me to ask a question, how come the chamber is full of debris? when did this happen, was the material left there before the scuttling of the ship?"

When it originally went down, the garage was clear. . However, remember that the ship is upside down. Parts, such as the engines, which were mounted in such a way as to keep them at the bottom of the ship are succumbing to gravity. This probably created holes leading to chambers previously not accessible and the victim is probably in one of these chambers. His air bubbles would have caused rust particles to come raining down and this would have reduced visibility to nil, making him unable to find his way out.

I was involved on most wreck scuttling projects prior to MV Xlendi plus located 9 other wrecks off our shores. The Xlendi is definitely not suitable for recreational diving. In the May 2006 report to MEPA it was clearly stated that technical divers could dive inside the Xlendi wreck but going further inside it such as inside the cafeteria, accommodation area & inside the engine room were high risk areas.

I also believe that if one can render MV Xlendi safer, this should be seriously considered. Sealing the entrances is possible but not fool proof.

Cutting right across parts of the hull with welding cutters & straddling some explosive charges could lead to induce to crack the hull were most effective & than let nature take it course & like the wreck of Um El Faroud it will eventually break in two parts making wreck safer to access. The explosive charges placed underneath the iron plating will shake the hull but will not impact the surrounding marine environment.

Once the wreck breaks more marine life will reside.

On the other hand one can also do absolutely nothing; and leave a perfect death trap in place for the unwary, inquisitive diver.

Dear Mr Vella,
Please note that all maintenance was done by Maltashipyards. There are only a few workers left. I wonder what is going to happen when they need servicng or urgent repairs.

Sincere condolences to the family and may they find peace withen themselves.At least they know where he is , and it is just a case of bringing him out.But allow me to ask a question, how come the chamber is full of debris? when did this happen, was the material left there before the sctling of the ship? who cleaned it. Another note I would like to add is who is responsable for the upkeep and maintanance of the New gozo ferries? Surely a lick of paint to the rusting areas and a coat of good varnish to the wooden seats would ensure apart from a better impression also longer life of these ships which remember dear board of directors of Gozo Ferries we paid for those ships so please take good care of them.

My sincere condolences to Paul's family and friends for what would appear to be a tragic accident.

Despite the difficulties and cost involved, it may be worth considering the possibility of cutting into the dangerous chamber of the wreck, not only to check if Paul may be there but also to ensure that there is less danger for anyone else tempted to explore this area.