ARMED FORCES OF MALTA SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATION IN CONNECTION WITH FATAL ACCIDENT AT VALLETTA

The Armed Forces of Malta were alerted by the Police at 0055hours this morning, that a vehicle had fallen some three storeys into the sea at Marsamxetto, Valletta. It was reported that the vehicle had persons trapped in it.

An AFM Search and Rescue vessel was sent on site shortly after to assess the situation. It was confirmed that the vehicle fell from a height of 10 metres before hitting the rocks and ending on the seabed. An EOD Team consisting of Lt Jeffery Curmi and three divers, namely Lance Bombardier Saliba J, Lance Bombardier Formosa P and Lance Bombardier Grech S, was also sent on site to assist as required.

It was confirmed that two persons, a male and a female, were trapped in the car. Since the vehicle, a 4 x 4 Daihatsu was badly crushed, the persons could not be recovered from the sea and it was therefore decided that the vehicle be lifted from the sea and the operation conducted on land. An AFM crane from Maritime Squadron was made available for this phase of the Operation.

A Civil Protection Rescue Team commenced the task to release the trapped bodies from the vehicle at approximately 0320 hours. An hour later the bodies were extracted from the wreck and taken on board the SAR Boat "Melita 1" to Maritime Squadron base.

The EOD divers have been assisting in the Magisterial Inquiry by conducting underwater searches in the area.