On 3 February 1995, a routine industrial operation at the Malta Drydocks turned into one of the island’s deadliest tragedies. The oil tanker Um El Faroud, already written off after years of service and damage, was being prepared for controlled demolition ahead of its planned sinking at sea. Instead, a powerful explosion ripped through the vessel, killing nine men, six dockyard workers and three Civil Protection firefighters, and injuring others nearby. The blast was immense.