Carolita

Carolita – Historic Wreck off Malta

The "Carolita" was designed in 1915 by Walter Pollocks & Son of Faversham, Kent, as a self-propelled lighter built to transport field guns, troops, and horses for landings on shelving beaches. As X-131 "Carolita," the vessel saw action during the Gallipoli landings in the Dardanelles Campaign of 1915. By 1921, the ship had arrived in Malta and was converted into a water barge. Renamed several times – Coralita, Coral, and finally Carolita – the vessel remained in Malta until it was bombed and sunk during WWII. The details of its sinking remain uncertain: some sources suggest it was hit while moored in Grand Harbour and later scuttled, while others say it was struck accidentally while tied up alongside submarines targeted in an air raid. The exact cause and timing of the sinking remain unknown, leaving the wreck shrouded in mystery.