Legal notice orders war wreck to be preserved ‘at all costs’
Divers had long campaigned for protection status to be given to the World War II wreck, a supply barge originally designed for service in Gallipoli in 1915 and the only one in the world to have been preserved fully intact.
A one-of-a-kind sunken wreck from World War II lying near Manoel Island has been scheduled as a site of archaeological importance to be preserved “at all costs”.
The wreck is an X127 Waterlighter used as a submarine supply barge during World War II and sunk by enemy fire while still lashed to its moorings beneath the arched colonnades of the Lazzaretto.
It was among 200 originally designed for the Gallipoli campaign in 1915 by Walter Pollock and Son of Faversham in Kent and is the only one in the world that has been preserved intact.
The site in Lazzaretto Creek is touted as ideal for diving and a number of divers have campaigned for it to be protected. They were worried it would be spoiled by the yacht marina planned as part of Midi’s Mediterranean marina village project on Manoel Island.
Last year, Midi CEO Ben Muscat had been reluctant to give a guarantee to protect it, saying: “We will try to work around it as much as we can. The breakwater won’t touch the wreck but at the end of the day it is still going to be smack in the middle of a marina.” He did not anticipate any works taking place close to the site but could only pledge to save the site “to the extent that we can”.
However, the wreck has now been protected through a legal notice that has just been published. This gives it a Class B certification which means it is “very important to be preserved at all costs”. Adequate measures must be taken to preclude any damage from immediate development, a spokesman for the planning authority said.
When the government had released plans for the yacht marina last year, it did not give any indication of how the wreck would be protected. When contacted, the Infrastructure Ministry had said there was no mention of it during the consultation process.
Diver Etienne Micallef, who campaigned for the wreck to be protected, welcomed the announcement. “At last, our voices have been heard. It would be interesting to know, though, what enforcement systems will such scheduling bring into force.”
The scheduling will give the wreck a buffer zone of 50 metres. “Is this enough? I think not, but I understand there has to be a balance between preservation and progress, so 50 metres is a good start... 75 metres or 100 metres would of course go down much nicer.”
He said it would be “really interesting” to figure out whether the marina construction planned by Midi would take protective considerations for the wreck and incorporate it in the finished project. He added there should be specific clauses in the permit regarding penalties against the developer should there be any aberrations or other negligence resulting in damage to the wreck.
“One must point out that the X127 is in a fragile condition and she survived so long because of the quite sheltered area she lies in.”
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Max Farrugia
Dec 27th 2010, 23:59
In Malta we have a unique world war 2 equipment which is totally abandoned. I am refering to the underground power station at Corradino. It is one of the three left in the world. Apart from its historical value, it provided electricity to the British Service during the second world war. The British used to call this power station the caves. Sadly enough instead of preserving this power station Enemalta Corporation turned it into a dumping site for asbestos removed from its installatiaons and other places. This is a shameful situation which the authorites have to look into. When i questioned the Wasteserv why they are dumping asbestos in a historical monument the reply was that it is Enemalta who are doing so and not wasteserve and they have nothing to do with it. I appeal to Heritage Malta to look into this situation and save this industrial heritage. I know that there is an organisation which is interested in the saving of this power station
simone Brinch-Iversen
Dec 27th 2010, 18:04
@D Galea, sorry but you are so very wrong. This wreck is extremely interesting for most divers, it is all about how you pre brief your divers. If you include an good explanation about the wreck, its history and historic value, divers look at the dive in the right perspective and are in awe of it. Yes, the visibility is not the best we have, but its in the harbour, what can you expect. It is not always about the visibility and the sea life. Most divers see past this and appreciate this wreck for what it represents, many ask to re-vist it year after year. Thanks to David Mallard for his detailed research and information booklet, we are able to "educate" both local and visiting divers, sharing with them yet another historical jewel that our small island possesses.
j n ebejer
Dec 27th 2010, 17:19
This is just one wreck that we know of to lie there for shure as it is popular. What of the artefacts -which could be far more important than a WWI barge, lying down there? In there latest harbour bed search, which was carried out in just 15 cubic metres, innumerable items were brought up for study, some of them proving a mine of information, apart from being a historical artefact of importance. Can't we see beyong what is clearly visible? Can't we see how far more economically viable is to search study and display such items which lie there just waiting for us to get to them? or do not bother and destroy them without an itch?
Etienne Micallef
Dec 27th 2010, 17:42
@Ebejer That duty is in the hands of the Superintendent of Cultural Heritage. Nothing can be moved, touched, or tempered with, unless by the authority of the Superintendence, as clearly specified in the Maltese Constitution. Mr Mallard and myself, have in the past brought this to their attention, more than once, but the wish of the Superintendence remained that of preserving X127 as she is, i.e. in situ, without any further initiatives of having X127 further explored. As a result, work on the wreck identification and history could only be carried out in public archives abroad (sadly, none available locally), and matched with what one is allowed to see of the present situation of the wreck. It would also be interesting to come to know whether the Superintendence had any say in MEPA's scheduling of the wreck as a Class B site of archaeological importance. We would appreciate if the press could assist us in this latter missing piece of the jigsaw, as we are unable to reach the Superintendent or to have any feedback from him directly.
victor rodenas
Dec 27th 2010, 16:09
See video,..`the wreck of the X127`.
Anthony Borg
Dec 27th 2010, 16:00
I believe that the leading expert on the X127 is Mr. Dave Mallard. He did extensive research on the sunken wreck and even published a lot of material on the subject.
I understand that he has badgered the Malteese authorities relentlessly to have the X127 preserved as it is unique. Suggest you wait for his comments to see if it can be safely raised or not.
victor pulis
Dec 27th 2010, 13:59
When contacted, the Infrastructure Ministry had said there was no mention of it during the consultation process.
Of course not. Only issues of a financial nature are usually discussed in these so called consultation meetings. Consultation with whom?
Although it's heartening to read that the wreck will be preserved i wouldn't rest easy until the project is concluded. We know how things work in Malta
paul mizzi
Dec 27th 2010, 13:40
Anyone who really believes that a yacht marina developer would actually care about a sunken wreck, just because a legal notice was issued, do raise your hands... I'm counting!
Like many other situations in Malta, a fine might be cheaper than the hassle to protect the X127!
N. Psaila
Dec 27th 2010, 13:21
Or else it can be used to generate money by having a floating restaurant or bar constructed on top of it with a glass bottom looking onto the wreck. This can be included into the design of the marina and can serve as an income for the marina itself and will also provide nearby entertainment for the boat owners berthing there.
Etienne Micallef
Dec 27th 2010, 15:41
@Psaila
I am afraid that this cannot be done, or if it can, it will be with such difficulty that parties interested in such a project would stop short in investing their money. The reason why I'm saying so, is due to the poor visibility and the sloping depth the wreck lies at. The most shallow part of X127 is at 6 metres from surface ... which you already cannot see from the surface. The stern is at 22 metres.
Nonetheless, if physics allow for such a glass structure to follow the length of the wreck, or part of it, and which won't be damaging the wreck by its presence, then absolutely, let's go for it. But if done, then I'm against turning the wreck into an amusement affair or something out of which money is generated to private entities. What I mean, is that if there has to be a restaurant with a glass floor and all, it should allow free unrestricted access to the public during reasonable hours.
N. Psaila
Dec 27th 2010, 17:05
Fair enough, mine was a suggestion based on having absolutely no knowledge about the wreck, but I'm sure there are many ideas worth studying in this regard. The truth is that without profit, investors will simply will not put out their money, so a marriage between making the wreck more accessible (even if just to look at it) and turning over some form of income seems like a good compromise. ps. physics allows it.
D Gallea
Dec 27th 2010, 17:30
I'm sorry mr micallef, but i really don't agree that a part of the marina should be sacrificed to save this wreck. Before i go any further, i am a diver, i have over 400 dives under my (weight) belt and have dived all the wrecks on the island, including the carolita, plenty of times over. There really is no value as a wreck, after all it is only a barge. Yes, it's a wreck and we need more like it, nice and sheltered, but to lose part of a much needed marina, whcih will bring cash to the island...hmmm... i don't think they weigh up much. Personally i would have rather sacrificed this wreck (or try to move it) but make midi pay for 2 new wrecks in sheltered locations which would also help the diving and tourism industry in return. i'm sorry, this barge is a boring dive and having worked at a dive school, i can confirm that it is only ever dived in rough weather, just to get the punters wet. None of them ever came up beaming from a 'great dive'. we might have been better off with a 2 more diveable and 'interesting' wrecks.
Etienne Micallef
Dec 27th 2010, 18:44
@Gallea In my opinion, you are either under-estimating X127, or know none about her. You even refer to her as Carolita, a name withdrawn from the records. The dive may result boring to you due to your insufficient knowledge about X127. Browse the wealth of information on X127 and X-Lighters in general at: www.xlighter.org or the respective Facebook group. Your 400 dives with a dive centre, only indicate that you've just started diving. To give a clear picture of what logged dives make you, scuba instructor Derek Chircop has logged his 25000th dive earlier this year. X127 may be lacking the grandeur of the Polynesian, or the magic of the Rozi best experienced as they start coming into view, but nonetheless, X127 remains a wreck with a great history. It's false to mark her only as a bad weather alternative. There's repeat business in the diving industry even in good weather. As to the marina, there's only one remaining such X Lighter vessel worldwide from the 200 ever built in 1915, and that's X127. And marinas? We have one in Msida, Ta' Xbiex, Birgu, Mgarr, Portomaso ...
Antonio Anastasi
Dec 28th 2010, 00:43
@D.Galea. I too am a professional diving instructor of over 12,000 dives under my belt and hae been diving this wreck for some 30 years. Now. Because I know what to look for, marine life wise and since the history of the wreck has been discovered, I have almost always brought people out of the water summer and winter with a smile on their faces and that is after 60 and 90 mins. dives.
The x-127 is not JUST a barge, it is a historical survivor that has participated in one of the bloodiest battles in history. It is a tribute to the ANZAC soldiers it supported and rescued from these bloody beaches.
If you want to find out more about this battle and the use of the x-lighters go to the FACE BOOK page support the x-127.
Personally and many experienced divers I have led on this dive do so repeatedly and with pleasure.
victor rodenas
Dec 27th 2010, 11:01
Since this wreck is the only one in the World,it could be possible to bring money and know how from abroad.It has been there for almost 70 yrs.But there are cases of wrecks being re-floated after centuries.Proffesionals have to do the job,if money for the project comes,..it can be done.
Nick Falzon
Dec 27th 2010, 13:53
That's a great idea. We should look into raising this wreck and housing it in a museum. Maybe it's something Malta and the Royal Navy could look into jointly funding (with some EU cash of course!)
Etienne Micallef
Dec 27th 2010, 14:55
@Rodenas
Indeed, albeit theoretically, the wreck can be raised if capital and resources are raised to do so, but I fear the wreck would suffer considerably as a result. Of course, it would be a nice thing to have her afloat and turned into a museum for all to see rather than divers alone, but unless archaeologic and scientific preservation guarantee a safe handling of operations, then X127 must be preserved in situ.