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22 June 2023

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One of the first from 3 German Customs Patrol Craft donated to Malta to be part of the 1st Maritime Battery of the Armed Forces of Malta, now known as Maritime Squadron was the 1952 built 29 metre craft BRUNSBUTTEL who arrived in Malta as deck cargo with 2 others (nowadays both broken up) aboard the 1959 built ship UHENFELS, arriving in 1972.

She was built in Germany as Yard no 54 by T.H. Buschmann Schikkswerft at Hamburg with a displacement of 90 tons. She was 29 m long with 5.2 metres beam and maximum draught of 1.7 metres.

She had 2 Deutz 6 Cylinder engines with 2 shafts and maximum speed of 19 knots and homeported at Hamburg. She was given the pennant number as C  27 in black colour.

Later on she emerged as all grey like other military craft after slipping at Manoel Island Yacht Yard (MIYY) and in 1989 she was decommissioned & put up for sale.

Later on she was acquired to be converted into a harbour tour boat as LA VALETTE for Good Fun Cruises.

On Saturday 26th May, 1990 when St John Paul II (First Pope in Malta) entered Grand Harbour she was clearly seen in the defile.

Unfortunately an explosion aboard happened on Thursday 24th October, 1991, while she was moored at Lazzaretto Creek, Marsamxett Harbour, killing her 40 year old owner.

First response was from the fire monitors of the Croatian offshore supply ship BRODOSPAS 43 that was berthed at Medserv Base which was situated at Manoel Island.

With the AFM C 25 accessing the area

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