Wreck Dive, Manoel Island, Malta
The X127 is famous as one of the most historic wrecks in Malta, as well as being one of only two WWII wrecks within the Open Water depth range of 18m. With the top of her bow at 5m and a great location sheltered from the elements in Marsamxett harbour, in good conditions she can even be visited by non-certified divers during a Discover Scuba Diving experience. Open Water and Advanced Open Water certifications will allow you to explore much further.
Poor visibility due to silt in the harbour can make this otherwise simple dive more challenging, but for us, that is a small price to pay to visit one of the most fascinating and historical wrecks in all of Malta.
History
On 29th October 1914, Turkey attacked the Russian harbours in the Black Sea. In response, Great Britain and France declared war on the Ottoman Empire.
In November 1915, a plan was created to attack Turkey at Gallipoli, in an attempt to take control of the waterways between the Black and Mediterranean seas. Walter Pollock was asked to design and oversee the construction of 200 motor landing craft for the campaign. Based on Thames river barges, these became known as "X-lighters", hence the name, our X127 being X-lighter number 127. With 200 vessels, the siege of Gallipoli was one of the largest naval assaults in human history.
The X127 was converted to carry water and fitted with a Tangye water pump engine to pump water from the hull to reservoirs on shore, supplying potable water to the troops. However, due to a combination of overconfidence, underestimation of the opponent, and bad planning, the whole operation was a disaster. Many British, ANZAC, French, and Turkish lives were lost before the withdrawal in January 1916, at which point the X127, along with the other remaining X-lighters, served the supremely important role of evacuating as many of the surviving troops as possible.
After the war, in 1920, many of the X-lighters were sold to private companies and 14 made their way to Malta. During the Second World War, she was recommissioned to the Royal Navy and supplied fuel for submarines around Manoel Island.
On 6th March 1942, the submarine base was heavily bombarded by the Luftwaffe, and during a second attack, the submarines P36 and P39 were damaged by near misses. The X127 was hit, quickly igniting the fuel stores on board and causing her to sink.
For years, she remained unidentified. Divers had incorrectly considered her the Coralita. In 2003, an underwater analysis was conducted to identify the wreck, which was first thought to be the X131, before finally being confirmed as the X127 by David Mallard.
The wreck
She lies upright on a sloping bottom, parallel to the shore, roughly a 6–7 minute swim from the entry point. Her bow sits at 5 metres and the stern lies at 22 metres. She is 24m in length with a 7m beam. Despite her age, she is in remarkably good condition due to her rigid structure and sheltered location.
Points of interest
At 16m, you can find a massive implosion hole, with the sides of the wreck buckled inwards. Directly above this at 14m is the explosion hole from where the fuel ignited, where metal shards protrude outwards from the inside of the wreck.
A long power cable runs over the wreck from port side to starboard side.
At the bottom of the ship, the engine room is still intact and the Tangye engines can be clearly seen.
Ascending up the starboard side, a small crack in the wreck opposite the implosion hole offers a nice view through the ship, where tube worms make their home in the silt.
Near the bow are three small square holes, through which the pump mechanisms can still be seen.
Around the wreck and along the reef, a great deal of hospital debris can be found, discarded during WWII as a result of creating space in the old hospital on Manoel Island to cater for submarine supplies and repairs. These include bathtubs, toilets, bedframes, and various unrecognisable (but clearly non-organic) shapes. Exploring further, more debris can be found such as boat engines, firework rafts, and even an old jeep.
Nudibranchs and fireworms can be found on the wreck, and octopuses, cuttlefish, and moray eels hide around the rocky reef. Stingrays can occasionally be spotted in the silt, and many chromis and bream make the wreck their home.
Experience needed
Due to the sheltered location, gently sloping reef, and easy entry and exit, this site is often suitable for non-certified divers during a Discover Scuba Diving experience, although visibility can sometimes be an issue so it is not guaranteed. An Open Water or Advanced Open Water certification will allow you to fully explore the rest of the ship, down to 18m or 22m respectively.
Dive site specification: The X127 Lighter
- Location: Manoel Island, Malta
- Type of dive: Shore Dive
- Max depth: 22m
- Minimum certification: Discover Scuba Diving experience
- Recommended: Open Water Diver / Advanced Open Water Diver