Polish destroyer ORP Kujawiak (L72) sunk by mine near Malta

ORP Kujawiak was a British Type II Hunt-class destroyer escort, formerly named HMS Oakley.

Kujawiak was built by Vickers-Armstrongs 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. Originally commissioned into the Royal Navy, she was renamed and commissioned into the Polish Navy in June 1941.

Kujawiak was sunk on 16 June 1942 after running into a mine near Malta (35°52′02″N 14°38′05″E) while participating in Operation Harpoon.

13 Polish sailors died and 20 were wounded.

Persons, died:

• Józef Biernacki
• Stanisław Dąbrowski
• Andrzej Hołowacz
• Józef Jankowski
• Edward Jesionowski
• Aleksy Kozaków
• Mieczysław Kubik
• Edward Olsztyn
• Stanisław Sadowski
• Stanisław Szwarc
• Michał Zajączkowski
• Edward Zych
• Czesław Zysk

In December 2011, marine documentary-maker Emi Farrugia announced plans to search for the wreck of Kujawiak. An approximate position given by the British Ministry of Defence gave no proper indication of the wreck's location and Farrugia stated that the search would focus on at least 8 square kilometres (3.1 sq mi) circling the three approximate positions that are now in hand.

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 remotely operated underwater vehicle (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. They have plans to return again in 2016.