Thursday, 6th November 2008 - 11:32CET
Wreck of the 'Xlendi' long a cause for concern
The Xlendi about to slip below the waves off Xatt l-Ahmar in 1999.
The disappearance of a diver while exploring the wreck of the MV Xlendi off Gozo has raised new questions about the safety of dives inside the former ferry.
Etienne Micallef, Master instructor of the Malta Red Cross sea rescue services said there was no doubt that entering the wreck was dangerous.
The former ferry was scuttled in 1999 to create a diving attraction. But it sank onto a steep sand bank at a depth of 42 metres and overturned. The superstructure has since sunk into the sand and a quantity of silt has built up in the hull.
Mr Micallef said the danger was recognised two years ago when the Red Cross fixed large reflective signs all round the wreck warning divers not to enter. The signs were cleaned up just a week ago.
However while some divers have asked for the wreck to be blown up or cut up, Mr Micallef said the only practical course of action was to raise greater awareness of the dangers, particularly in diving schools.
"The ship is not safe. It is upside down, and swimming into the hull is dangerous because it is dark, fine silt may make you lose your bearings, and there are not enough exits" Mr Micallef said. The wreck is also at the maximum limit of such sports dives, he said.
"Our recommendation is for divers to go round the wreck, but not into it," he said, adding that the nearby wrecks of the Karwela and Cominland were safe.
These two wrecks were scuttled in the vicinity of the Xlendi following a report to the Malta Environment and Planning Authority by professional diver Emi Farrugia.
Mr Farrugia in comments to timesofmalta.com suggested inducing a crack in the hull of the Xlendi so as to eventually split the vessel, re-creating interest in what was currently "a dangerous wreck which is a death-trap in certain areas."
Mr Farrugia told timesofmalta.com that if the wreck could be straddled with some explosives to induce a crack. Nature could then be left to take its course and the vessel would eventually break up in two.
"This will introduce light into the wreck and as a result increase marine life. Because there is no light at all inside the wreck, there are absolutely no fish," Mr Farrugia said.
The alternative, he said, was to leave the wreck as it was or to seal entrances to the dangerous areas.
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Comments
There is little that can be done with the wreck to make it safer for divers: attempting to move it to the upright position would be extremely expensive if not impossible and dividing it with explosives would not prevent divers entering into the lower, most dangerous, parts of the wreck .
The warning notices currently erected around the wreck should be sufficient but bars or plates welded over the entry points would be the next step up. However, to be effective these would need to be maintained on a regular basis.
I don't agree with you at all. The beauty of the HMS Stubborn, Le Polynesien and HMS Southwold is the depth in which they lie. I don't think they would be as well preserved if they were to lie in shallower waters.
Asking for help does not equate to lost pride. Its presumption that is out of place.
Football is a hobby, hunting is a hobby, and whether it is a good or bad hobby, pls understand that there are different people who like different kinds of sport and hobbies - otherwise the world would be a boring place to live in.
Secondly, my point is: if professional divers say that this wreck is dangerous, then, without further hesitation, implement one or more things they suggested so as to make this wreck a safe place to dive. Period.
Its about time that instead of critisizing each and other's hobbies, we try our best to make every other sport (or hobby) a safer one to practice for the benefit of all....and there are no better people to guide us about this other than the true professionals that practice that particular activity.
I have dived all three wrecks on more than one occasion however in recent years the Xlendi has become rather dodgy and thus too risky to consider it any more. As stated by others, one risks getting lost by disturbing the silt and disorientated due to the fact that the ferry lies upside down. Moreover the heavy weight of the engines is a constant hazard too risky and to be avoided in case the structure collapses.
Even were the other 2 scuttled ships not available, responsibility dictates that one avoids risking life and limb so it would be stupid to penetrate the Xlendi in its present condition. Why risk ? Gozo is blessed with other alternatives and having the Karwela and the Cominoland lying so close presents divers with safer options.
My suggestion would be that the Xlendi is lifted using airbags and righted in a way that it will act as a reef and a breeding ground for fish. It can be done as such projects have taken place before abroad.
MTA should sponsor such an event. Better than sponsoring a football club
I don't believe that anything needs to be done. The whole wreck has been signposted with signs saying that penetrating the wreck is dangerous. There are two beautiful wrecks in the immediate vicinity and one can penetrate them right down to their deepest and darkest recesses in relative safety. Furthermore, even if the Xlendi was safe to penetrate, I wouldn't - what's supposed to be on the floor is now hanging from the ceiling. It's only a matter of time before heavy things start falling. I wouldn't want to be the one to dislodge anything.
Are you by any chance one of those who's only source of entertainment is watching 22 men kick a ball around? If so, I suggest that you continue to entertain yourself in the same boring manner and let us thrill seekers have a good time.
@ Joe Camilleri
Why don't we abolish the afore-mentioned "sport" too while we're at it? I'm sick and tired of having to work extra to make up for colleagues who have to stay home nursing injuries sustained by kicking the ball and falling over and getting kicked in the process.
hooliganism in football:
irresponsible shooters (these are not called hunters!) in hunting:
irresponsible divers:
irresponsible drivers who think that are roads are the race tracks:
irresponsible bikers who ignore bicycle lanes and use main roads even when bicycle lanes are available in busy roads as Hal Far:
or should we just conclude that we can:
ban football because of corruption (calciopoli etc);
ban cycling and diving because of someone taking excessive risks;
ban hunting because there are some 'poachers' who think that they can shoot whatever they want;
and ban motor sports because we have irresponsible drivers.
Let the people think!
divers do not normally engage in killing our protected marine species (or birds ..) and it is a weird connection to link objections to diving due to it being an inherently dangerous sport with the objections to hunting - a 'sport' which aims to destroy wildlife which non-hunters tend to enjoy in the living state.
In the case of the M V Xlendi wreck, as per this very article, steps have already been taken to reduce the amount of danger to unwary divers. When will hunting become less dangerous to our birds?
Basically you have to keep in mind that to go out of the ship you have to dive deeper. Although many of us are trained to deal with such situations some people can have panic attacks because in some cases it gives you a claustrophobia feeling and face it.. The 1st reaction in your mind would be to try to go up but here to go out you must dive deeper.. Diving is a nice sport and in Malta we are lucky to have very nice diving spots however like in all other sports some times tragedy strikes. Unfortunately some times very experienced divers fall victims because they are too confident and under water you cannot take risk. Rule NUMBER one is to Dive Safely
2. Hunting deters tourists. (see point 1)
3. Blowing a crack in the hull of the wreck will weaken its structural integrity and therefore make it more dangerous. It seems that this is a ridiculous idea and I am surprised that someone like Emi is suggesting this.
i agree diving should be stopped so that you would feel what hunters are feeling.
There are several places on the Xlendi where access can be gained however they are all down near the seabed. I believe at least one, possibly both engines have collapsed into part of the car deck leaving a mass of debris. Because of the weight above, most of the inner bulkheads of the wreck have bent or buckled under the strain. The hazard lies in the heavy, unstable mass of machinery above the diver when he enters the wreck.
A crack in the hull using explosives would allow safer access places but is unlikely to minimise the danger to a diver using the deeper access points.
In areas such as the cafereria & engine room these were high risk areas unsuitable for diving unless one is prepared to take this risk.
A lot of work was done to render MV Xlendi diver friendly prior to scuttling. Work which was mainly done to the bridge area. When Xlendi came upside down this element of safety was lost.
The debris encountered inside the high risk areas come from the wood which covered the side walls & the flooring of the cafeteria. Also sediment coming from outside the wreck has been accumulating over the years l reducing drastically the underwater visibility .
Breaking the wreck will induce natural light & in my opinion will render the wreck safer.
Are you serious?
So according to your way of thinking in less than 10 years we should stay at home and breath because thanks to you no will be able to do anything.
Accidents happen so if everyone followed your advice you will not be able to go to a restaurant because people died, also people died in churches and people died in the streets.
Any diver knows that there could be risks involved in any dive that they will do in their life. You accept the fact, you dive safely and you dont take unnecessary risks.
Anyway enjoy staying in the safety of your own house.
I can't believe such suggestions are actually submitted in public.... is the guy serious LOL
Authorities should invest more in the diving sector it's one of our natural resources for income. As a country we should do the utmost to protect our surrounding seas, which in result attracts more foreign divers, as a known fact foreign divers spend a larger lump of money then the normal tourist. Also we must not forget the large local diving community which is increasing year after year & practice this sport with such a passion.
So according to you....if a player dies during a football match (as sometimes happened), we are to ban football.
I don't know from were people get such ideas.
I am as Mr.Farrugia said.....either use explosives to cut it in two...or at least to have safer cracks in it and make it safer.
I am not a diver....but surely you cannot stop people from enjoying one's hobby.
- The depth is over 40 meters (not for every one).
- The entrances are not big, but can be negotiated.
- It is dark and sediment. is present. Good lights are a must and a reel is recommended.
- The area that is penetrable is one large compartment and it is quite hard to get lost. BUT narcosis followed by panic and fear of being trapped can be lethal especially at that depth.
Breaking the wreck with explosives might give access to other areas for exploration, which makes this wreck more interesting but there is also the danger or pushing the wreck in deeper waters. Whether broken up or as it is, this is wreck should NEVER be tackled by novice divers or poorly equipped divers.
I agree with breaking it up in a controlled manner and once the operation is done, a detailed survey be commissioned to identify where the most potential dangerous places are likely to be and if they cannot be made "diver safe" then these areas should be sealed or blocked.
Regarding the suggestion that unguided diving should be banned, I tend to disagree completely with this idea, as this will definitely deter a lot of regulars who have been coming to the Maltese Islands for many years for scuba diving holidays specifically because they can do this kind of diving over here. In my opinion, our diving product is still inferior to our main competitors, mainly the Red Sea, to take this drastic measure. There is no guarantee whatsoever that accidents do not happen even if they are guided by a dive guide who knows the dive sites better. A few recent events come to mind where fatal accidents did happen when clients were accompanied by guides etc
Accidents will continue to happen. It is up to the diver who MUST know his / her limitations or else face the consequences
If a diver decides to enter such wreck, he does so at his own risk.
The golden rule that governs diving is to take extra precautions and double check your equipment prior to a dive, as well as planning your dives carefully.
What might help, would be the introduction of a system for fines, where if someone is caught diving irresponsibly, then they should pay the price.
As things stand, diving has already been tarnished and stamped as 'dangerous' by many people... when in reality it is far safer than most sport I know of (except chess of course :) )
Why not stuff enough air bags inside the hull pump air into them to either raise the wreck, turn it over or even move it to another site. The wreck is a valuable asset to the Maltese diving industry and if nothing else, making the wreck safer should be good for some interesting international PR.
What a brilliant idea. In fact, we should even ban altogether driving and flying since people die in car accidents and plane crashes!
If the wreck is not safe, then either this has to be remedied ASAP or else only diving near this wreck is banned.