Tugboat to be scuttled off Exiles

Mepa has given the go-ahead for the scuttling of an old tugboat off Exiles Beach to serve as a diving attraction. The vessel would be placed at a depth of around 20 metres on sand. Access will mainly be from the shore The Professional Diving Schools Association had requested a permit to scuttle Tug 2 – a 30-metre long and 9.5-metre high vessel.  It explained that there were no other wrecks in the area. The nearest are HMS Maori off Valletta and the X127 Water Lighter off Manoel Island. However, HMS Maori is slowly disintegrating and future access to the X127 Water Lighter is uncertain because of the ongoing development on Manoel Island. The tug boat will be sunk 252 metres off St Julians and 380 metres off the Portomaso breakwater. It has been laid up at Bezzina shipyard for some 12 years.