Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1525500
12 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 18 AUGUST 2024 Heritage underwater HERITAGE Malta's Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit (UCHU)'s WreckLife pro- ject has been endorsed by the United Na- tions Ocean Decade, underscoring the im- portance of the unique 360-degree virtual reality experience. WreckLife deepens understanding of the intricate relationship between historic wrecks in Maltese coastal waters and their surrounding marine environments. By examining temporal changes in cli- mate and their effects on the marine envi- ronment, the project helps experts predict future degradation and develop effective strategies for preserving these underwater cultural heritage sites. Heritage Malta's UCHU works to dis- seminate underwater findings to the public. Chief amongst these are Heritage Malta's Virtual Museum, a platform that invites the public to explore the histori- cal sites found in Maltese coastal waters, and the Dive into History 360 programme, which brings these sites to life through high-resolution 360-degree virtual reality experiences offered to diverse audiences in schools, active ageing centres, conferenc- es, and events both locally and globally. The WreckLife project takes the UCHU's work to new levels, as it aligns itself with the United Nation's Ocean Decade global initiative. The shipwrecks are studied as ecological islands, merging archaeological methodol- ogies with biological research that includes sediment sampling, temperature mapping and light measurements. Scientific diving operations as well as other undersea technologies are utilised for monitoring and data collection, providing high-reso- lution data for unprecedented insights into the ecological dy- namics around these underwater archaeological sites. WreckLife brings together a di- verse team of experts from various fields and institutions, including various departments at the Uni- versity of Malta, generating valu- able knowledge and new research methodologies. By publishing open-access articles and engaging with the public through educational programmes and interactive online platforms, the project ensures its research findings reach a broad audience, promoting ocean literacy and environ- mental stewardship. WreckLife sets a new standard for managing historic shipwrecks and their ecologies, contributing to the conservation of underwater cultural herit- age worldwide. HMS Urge Depth: 112m HMS Urge was a Royal Navy U-class submarine that formed part of the 10th Submarine Flotilla based at the Lazaret- to on Manoel Island, Malta. These small, 630-tonne submarines were found to be ideal for use in the shallow waters of the Mediterranean. The wreck site was discovered at a depth of 112 metres approximately 2km outside the Grand Harbour. HMS Urge operated in the Mediterrane- an where it had an intense patrol career, damaging or sinking significant numbers of Axis shipping. It was also one of the first submarines from which special forc- es raids on enemy coastlines were carried out. The most well-known achievement of HMS Urge was the attack on the Italian battleship Vittorio Veneto near the Straits of Messina on 14 December 1941, the largest enemy battleship to be torpedoed at sea by a Royal Navy submarine during the Second World War. Eventually, the location of the 10th Sub- marine Flotilla on Manoel Island was no longer viable, and the remaining subma- rines were ordered to evacuate to Alexandria, Egypt. After leav- ing the harbour on 27 April 1942, HMS Urge was expected in Alex- andria on 6 May 1942, but never arrived, and was never heard from again, along with its 32-member crew and 12 passengers. HMS Urge struck a mine on its departure from the Grand Harbour, with the result- ing explosion breaking off the bow section and revealing the inner torpedo tube com- partment. This, however, would remain a mystery until 2019, when the wreck site of HMS Urge was discovered during a remote sensing survey, jointly organised between the Maritime Archaeology Programme of the University of Malta, and the grandson of the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant EP Tomkinson. A 360-degree virtual museum online allows non-divers to see all the underwater wrecks that today have turned into ecological islands for sea fauna MATTHEW VELLA mvella@mediatoday.com.mt HMS Urge Martin Maryland