One of the dive sites we run here in Malta — here's the story behind it, the depth and access, and what it takes to dive it properly.
HMS X127 was a water lighter built in England in 1915 for the Royal Navy in the First World War. About 24m long with a 7m beam, she began as a landing craft and was later converted first to a water lighter and then to a fuel lighter. She sank on 6 March 1942 in Marsamxett Harbour, settling off Manoel Island at the entrance to Lazzaretto Creek. For decades her identity was lost, divers knowing her variously as Carolita, Coralita or X131 and treating her as an ordinary barge. An underwater survey in 2003 first identified her as X131; further work in 2006 corrected this to X127. She rests upright on a slope, bow at about 5m and stern at around 22m, making her an accessible shore dive. Visibility is often poor and the silty bottom and steep angle demand good buoyancy, but the hull is in remarkably good condition and the site is a popular, historically interesting shallow wreck, often paired with HMS Maori and the nearby tugs.
Good news: this site is well within reach of recreational and advanced recreational divers — no technical certification needed to enjoy it. Come and dive it with me, and when you’re ready to push deeper into Malta’s technical sites, here’s where to head next:
Already certified and just want to dive it? Come and explore it with me on open circuit or CCR — one relaxed dive a day, no rushing, as long in the water as you like.
Want to dive X127 Coralita? Tell me your certification level and your dates, and I'll plan it with you. No pressure, no hard sell — just a good dive.