C23 tragedy
The patrol boat P23 (ex-C23) moored off Msida Bastion in 2006 | |
| Date | 7 September 1984 (41 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Location | off Qala, Gozo, Malta |
| Type | Explosion |
| Cause | Uncertain, probably a spark |
| Deaths | 7 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 1 |
The C23 tragedy occurred on 7 September 1984, when the Swift-class patrol boat C23 of the Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) was severely damaged by an explosion while dumping illegal fireworks off Qala in Gozo, Malta. Seven people – five soldiers and two policemen – were killed, and the only survivor of the incident was severely injured.
The patrol boat C23 was repaired and it returned to service, later being renamed P23. It was decommissioned in 2010 and it now remains at the AFM base at Hay Wharf as a memorial to those killed in the explosion.