1 comment.Underground exploration of the Mgarr ix-Xini Pumping Station in Gozo
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Pierre Farrugia and Angelo Caruana will be exploring a late 1880 Coal powered water pumping station in Gozo that used to supply fresh water all over Gozo – the Mgarr ix-Xini Pumping Station.
This pumping station was abandoned around 1960 to another more powerful and modern one.. Farrugia and Caruana said that they will be focusing mostly in its underground part, since they said that no images and video could be found on the internet.
Farrugia explained that this adventure started months ago when he went to explore the area, and found an intriguing 23 metre deep shaft, which at the bottom opened up in to other rooms.
He then started research and found a detailed documentation by Mario Pace, who in 2014, had spent a year with other architecture students -William Moran, Robert Pace, Andrea Zerafa, Julian Vassallo, Samuel Bonello, and James Dingli – carrying out extensive research on the pumping station, details of which were published on gozo.news.com
Another part of the research found an article by the Times of Malta – Rise and demise of Mgarr ix-Xini pumping station.
Farrugia and Caruana said that from there they started training, going down was not a problem, but coming back up the 23 metre sheet flat wall, they said was very challenging.
Finally this week, in the very hot weather, they went to Gozo to start their exploration. They explained that their three biggest challenges were the heat, the thorns found in this valley, and going up the sheet flat wall.
They first explored the top part, Coal Room, Boiler Rooms and then they abseiled down 23 metres to explore its underground.
At the bottom they said they found old engine parts and a very old wheel chair. Then they went on to explore its Electric Pump Room and its Diesel Engine Rooms.
From there, Farrugia and Caruana said they discovered a tunnel which took them to a 10 metre horizontal tunnel, leading to a 5 metre vertical shaft, which proved to be flooded with water.
Farrugia and Caruana said that after completing the underground exploration they started 23 metre climb back up to ground level.
Photos and Video: Pierre Farrugia
I am glad that these people showed us what had always been hidden for us but at the same time they opened the doors to curious and adventurous people who would like to challenge the odds and do the same as these two well equipped experts. While I congratulate them for their training and preparation for this adventure, I still have my doubts if they were really ready to do this dive into the shaft. I think they should not have gone before losing much more of that fat body. Yet it makes it more challenging and at the same time more dangerous. I strongly disagree with their plea to tell others to be careful and do not put themselves in danger. I believe that as it is an abandoned government property it should be banned for anyone except professionals with permission to even go inside. General public has no cause to go there. It should be totally banned. Yet the metal could be saved to rebuild the engines not to work but to put for display or at least for their metal. With some funds it could also be restored so that it will not fall and crumble, ruining the valley.