ORP KUJAWIAK (L72) -95 METERS MALTA.

ORP Kujawiak was a British Type II Hunt Class destroyer, formerly named HMS Oakley.
Kujawiak was built at the company's High walker yard on the River Tyne. Her keel was laid down on 22 November 1939 and she was launched on 30 October 1940, and she had
Complement of 160, Armament:   6 × 102 mm guns (3 twin turrets), 4 × 40 mm anti-aircraft cannons, 2 to 4 20 mm anti-aircraft cannon, 6 depth charge throwers,

 Originally commissioned into the Royal Navy, she was renamed and commissioned into the Polish Navey in June 1941.
On 18 June 1941 Kujawiak came under attack by German aircraft whilst on passage from Tyne to scapa flow to work-up for operational service with ships of home fleet. Fire from the aircraft hit the 4-inch ready-use ammunition which exploded causing one fatal casualty. On 25 July she joined the 15th Destroyer Flotilla based at plymouth for local convoy escort and patrol duties.
Later that year on 23 October Kujawiak deployed with fellow Polish destroyer ORP Krakowiak for escort of inward Convoy SL89 during final stage of passage in irish sea from Freetown into Liverpool. On 22 December she sailed from Scapa Flow as part of Force J to carry out landings on the Lofone islands. Two days later on 27 December the destroyer sustained slight damage from a near miss during air attacks.

June 1942 Kujawiak was nominated for loan service with Home Fleet for escort of planned Malta Relief convoy (Operation Harpoon). On 6 June she joined military Convoy WS19S in the Northwest Approaches as part of Ocean Escort for passage to Gibraltar. On 12 June she joined Force X at Gibraltar for escort of convoy for passage to Malta through Sicilian Narrows. On 14 June the convoy came under heavy and sustained air attacks during which the cruiser Liverpool was damaged. The following day the air attacks continued and Kujawiak went into action with Italian warships attempting to intercept and attack the convoy. only then after this a few days later Kujawiak was sunk on 16 June 1942 after running into a mine near Malta while participating in Operation Harpoon. 13 Polish sailors died and 20 were wounded.

Presently..
On 22 September 2014 a team of Polish explorers and an American from the Wreck Expeditions Association discovered the resting place of Kujawiak, designated L72, off of Malta.
The expedition team consisted of Team Leader Peter Wytykowski, Expedition Leader Roman Zajder, Michał Szczepaniak, Robert Głuchowski, Bartek Grynda -an underwater technology and  (ROV) specialist-, Marcin Sadowski, Agata Radecka -whose grandmother's uncle was the commander of Kujawiak-, and Chris Kraska of the Ohio Maritime Archaeological Survey Team -whose father was a seaman on Kujawiak and survived her sinking. Using ROV footage and original blueprints from the Hunt Type II escort destroyer the team has ascertained that her only possible identity is Kujawiak.
The discovery has been shared with Maltese and Polish officials but the coordinates of the wreck are being kept secret for the time being. The Maltese government is awaiting the team's final report and has indicated the wreck site will be designated a historic site and a war grave.
The team returned to Malta in the summer of 2015 and made several dives on the wreck taking video footage. They also placed on the wreck a memorial plaque to the sailors who perished during her sinking.

Today diving is restricted as its a War Grave.