Superyacht Leander is a frequent visitor to Malta but she was here this week for a special reason: She is on her way to Corfu for the commemoration of the near loss of the HMS Saumarez and the HMS Volage.

Both were hit by mines in 1946 and nearly sunk with the combined loss of 44 British sailors in what became known as The Corfu Incident. An international inquiry had been launched to investigate where the mines had come from. The incident took place in international waters a year after the war's end.

The 75 metre-long superyacht - one of the best known charter yachts in the world - has links to the tragedy. It was named after a third vessel, the HMS Leander, that was following the Saumarez and the Volage, and was fortunate not to the sail into the same minefield.

Leander's owner, Commodore Sir Donald Gosling, who created the National Car Parks chain in the UK, was a midshipman on HMS Leander at the time. It and a fourth vessel, HMS Mauritius, were instrumental in saving the two crippled vessels. They managed to rescue the crews, secure the vessels and tow them back to Corfu Harbour. They were then towed to the Naval Drydocks in Malta.

A commemoration is held every 10 years on October 22.

Leander is teaming up in Corfu tomorrow with HMS Sutherland representing the British Navy for the 60th commemoration in the Corfu strait close to where the tragedy occurred.