Various historical sites, spanning different eras located on the Gozitan and Maltese seabed which only divers have had access to so far, will now be accessible to everyone virtually and free of charge.

The 10 sites launched today are the remains of a Phoenician Shipwreck located outside Xlendi, Gozo; submarine HMS Stubborn and aircraft JU88, located off St Paul’s Bay; British destroyer HMS Maori and supply vessel X-Lighter, located in the Port of Marsamxett; the Beaufighter and Fairey Swordfish aircrafts, off St Julian’s; the B-24 Liberator aircraft, located off Marsaxlokk; Victorian-era cannons and S-31 Schnellboot located outside the Grand Harbour.

This has been made possible through a project launched by the Minister for Tourism and Consumer Protection Julia Farrugia Portelli. The project, worth an investment of €100,000, will be funded by the Malta Tourism Authority.

Minister Farrugia Portelli described the Maltese and Gozitan seabed as one of the best touristic attractions rich in historical remains.

The University of Malta is also taking part in this project in terms of research. Professor Timmy Gambin, a researcher at the University of Malta, stressed the importance of the vision of Minister Farrugia Portelli to support research in the field of cultural heritage of the seabed.

Dr Gavin Gulia, Chairman of the Malta Tourism Authority, said that once again the Authority was instrumental in making another ambitious project a reality.

Following years of underwater archaeological research off the coast of the Maltese islands, where a number of deposits of cultural value have been discovered and documented on maps, these will now also be accessible to a wider range of people in the virtual world, stated the chairman of Heritage Malta Anthony Scicluna.

The Underwater Department of Cultural Heritage was committed to scanning artefacts – so we’re here today – more accessible to the public.

The virtual museum includes sites ranging from the oldest Phoenician shipwreck in the Mediterranean, dating back 2,700 years, to World War II aircraft.

During the pandemic, Heritage Malta rose to the occasion and worked on projects that would usually be impossible to work on, with artefacts that have been scanned with state-of-the-art technology and which are also included in this virtual museum.

The sites will be accessible through the use of 3D models and virtual reality. Initially, there will be access to 10 sites located at a depth ranging from two meters to 110 meters.

By the end of this year, another 10 sites will have been added, and another number is expected to increase over the next year.

This virtual experience can be enjoyed through the site https://underwatermalta.org/ where, among other experiences, one can make use of the Virtual Reality Headset to have an even better experience of these sites.

Photo: DOI/Omar Camilleri

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