 "Caio Duilio" sailed away from Taranto on 14 February with a pair of light cruisers and seven destroyers in order to intercept the British convoy MW 9, bounded from Alexandria to Malta, but the force could not locate the British ships, and so returned to port.After learning of "Caio Duilio" departure, however, British escorts scuttled the transport "Rowallan Castle", previously disabled by German aircraft.Both ships were interned at Malta following Italy's surrender on 3 September 1943.