ped o es ▁once ▁again ▁experienced ▁technical ▁problems ▁as ▁they ▁un success fully ▁attempted ▁to ▁attack ▁a ▁fre ighter . ▁The ▁crew ▁returned ▁to ▁Italy ▁via ▁Spain . ▁ ▁June ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 9 4 1 : ▁An ▁attack ▁on ▁Mal ta ▁similar ▁to ▁the ▁July ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁operation ▁( see ▁below ) ▁was ▁planned ▁but ▁was ▁can ce led ▁due ▁to ▁bad ▁weather . ▁▁ ▁July ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 9 4 1 : ▁Two ▁Ma iale ▁and ▁ten ▁M AS ▁boats ▁( including ▁six ▁b arch ini ) ▁un success fully ▁attacked ▁the ▁port ▁of ▁Val lett a , ▁Mal ta . ▁The ▁force ▁was ▁detected ▁early ▁on ▁by ▁a ▁British ▁rad ar ▁installation , ▁but ▁the ▁British ▁coast al ▁batter ies ▁held ▁their ▁fire ▁until ▁the ▁It ali ans ▁approached ▁to ▁close ▁range . ▁Fif teen ▁Dec ima ▁M AS ▁crew men ▁were ▁killed ▁( including ▁Commander ▁M occ ag atta ), ▁and ▁ 1 8 ▁captured . ▁ ▁T ese o ▁T ese i ▁and ▁Pet ty ▁Officer ▁Al cide ▁Ped rett i ▁on ▁one ▁tor ped o ▁died ▁by ▁Fort ▁St . ▁El mo ▁as ▁they ▁attempted ▁to ▁destroy ▁the ▁outer ▁def enses ▁of ▁the ▁har bour . ▁Lieutenant ▁Franco ▁Costa ▁and ▁S gt . ▁Luigi ▁Bar la ▁on ▁the ▁other ▁tor ped o ▁became ▁lost , ▁sc utt led ▁their ▁craft , ▁and ▁sw am ▁ash ore ▁at ▁St . ▁George ' s ▁Bay ▁two