A.F.M. Rescue Mission

On Monday 6th January, 1997 at 2100hrs, the AFM Operations Centre was informed by Mr Noel Pisani that his father Joseph and two other persons, George Degabriele and Raymond Cremona, had gone out on a fishing trip from Xemxija earlier in the morning on a 20-foot boat. These persons were expected to return by 1700hrs on the same day but had failed to do so.

Although the approximate position of the missing boat could not be determined, the AFM immediately embarked on a search for the missing persons and sent two patrol boats, P23 & P25 to search for the vessel.

At first light on Tuesday 7th January, an AFM Alouette Helicopter and the AFM Islander Aircraft commenced searches on the west and south areas of the Maltese Islands. This was followed by a search on the north west of Gozo by the Italian search and rescue AB 212 helicopter, based in Malta, piloted by Lieutenant Colonel R. Ianelli of the Italian Air Force and Lieutenant Paul Gauci of the Air Squadron, 2nd Regiment, AFM.

Also participating in the search this morning was patrol boat P25 mastered by Lance Bombardier Charles Farrugia from the Maritime Squadron, 2nd regiment AFM.

At 0946 HRS, this morning, the AB212 Helicopter sighted the missing boat with the 3 persons at a position 4 miles north of San Dimitri Point, Gozo.

Immediately, AFM rescuer gunner Brian Xuereb was lowered on the boat to verify the state of the persons on board. Patrol boat P25 was directed to the area arriving there at 1056 hrs. The 3 persons were taken on board P25 while their craft was towed to Marsalforn Bay, Gozo.