Built to withstand storms the retired vessels Karwela and Comino Land took over seven hours to sink to the bottom of the seabed at Ix-Xatt l-Ahmar, Gozo, to start a new life as an artificial reef for divers.

The rusty carcasses, which have been out of operation for about four years, will provide an alternative attraction for divers in the south of the island when the sea is too rough on the north and west coast.

"Xatt l-Ahmar was nicknamed S*** l-Ahmar by most divers because there was nothing to see before. With two good wrecks, it should provide new appeal and will even shift some of the numerous divers who gather at Dwejra here," said Mark Busuttil, diving representative for the Gozo Tourism Association.

The operation to scuttle the two ships started at 6 a.m. yesterday and air-filled buoyancy tanks, which resemble a vessel's chimney, were used for the first time to ensure the ships settled upright at 35 metres below the sea.

When the decommissioned Gozo Channel ferry Xlendi was scuttled a few years ago it eventually turned upside down due to rough seas.

The stormy weather of the past few days did not help, but by yesterday the wind had settled and with ample patience and dedication the Karwela was finally sunk at 4 p.m., followed by Comino Land 25 minutes later.

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono watched the operation, which attracted numerous spectators on land and at sea, on board another vessel.

Mr Busuttil said that the ships had been thoroughly cleaned by Cassar Ship Repair, which removed 18,000 tonnes of fuel from the Karwela alone.

Adrian Mallia, responsible for drawing up the master plan to support a sustainable diving industry in Gozo, said that the Comino Land was stripped off all its paint to establish whether this would lead to a greater growth of micro algae and other organisms.

"The growth of these organisms has not been particularly good on other scuttled vessels, and we're suspecting that the layers of anti-fouling, chemicals and paint could be hindering the growth," he said.

Mr Mallia said the growth had flourished on artificial concrete reefs situated in the sea close to the Hilton, in St Julian's. With the Karwela, still painted, and the Comino Land situated so close to each other, researchers could examine which ship was favoured most by the organisms.

Both the scuttled vessels and the master plan form part of a 1.3 million Euro project, acquired from the EU's structural funds, to boost niche tourism in Gozo - the Gozo Ministry put diving on its priority list.

The project also covers the purchase and installation of a decompression chamber at Gozo General Hospital, which will cost 405,000 Euro and should be ready by November, as well as an international marketing campaign that will run until the end of the year.

The master plan, which should be finalised soon, will be the first official document outlining the diving product Gozo has to offer and proposing measures to meet the level of service expected by the demanding clients.

Dr Gonzi and Mrs Debono visited the site where the decompression chamber will be housed and praised this move as a timely intervention to treat cases of decompression without delay.

Funds were also acquired to train doctors, nursing and technical staff based on standards set by various international and European bodies.

Dr Gonzi described the four-pronged project as another link in the chain of ventures to boost tourism to both Malta and Gozo, which were both facing harsh competition from European countries emerging from behind the Iron Curtain.

"Before we never dreamt of visiting these countries, but they are now thriving. Competition is tough and we all have a role to play - be it the government, the private sector, the taxi driver, or the waiter - we have to retain our value of hospitality," he said.