Malta underwent its fair share of turmoil, famine and hardship during WWII, and now, a new National Geographic documentary will explore the seascape to uncover more stories that saw the island paralysed under Axis bombing.

The documentary, part of a larger series ‘Buried Secrets of WWII’, is part of Heritage Malta’s latest collaboration with the National Geographic Channel. The 6th episode, entitled Island Under Siege, is expected to uncover interesting narratives that unfolded in WWII during 1940.

The episode, which airs tonight, will take the channel’s global audience on an underwater expedition around Malta and Gozo to explore tales of historical and cultural heritage that have remained drowned for the better part of a century.

The collaboration comes in the wake of the setting up of a new branch within Heritage Malta: the Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit (UCHU). The department facilitated the discovery and identification of multiple underwater sites and rendered them accessible to all in a methodical manner. It was also a key element that saw to the production of this specific episode.

Apart from research purposes, the creation of underwater archaeological parks is anticipated to become a main priority for divers and underwater explorers, with the Maltese islands projected to become a top destination specifically for deep water wreck diving.

Will you be tuning in tonight?