A British scuba diver has died at Malta’s Mater Dei hospital after reportedly surfacing from a dive off Ċirkewwa, Malta, saying he was ‘feeling unwell’.
The 66-year-old man, who has not been named, surfaced during a dive at approximately 11am on the morning of Saturday, 12 October, and was assisted to shore by other divers in the group.
Emergency services were called and treated him at the scene before transporting him by ambulance to Mater Dei Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
The tragedy is the second to have occurred at Ċirkewwa this year, following the death of a 45-year-old Dutchman due to strong winds and high seas in March this year.
Ċirkewwa is a popular shore diving site as it is easily accessible and suitable for divers of all levels. It is also the site of the nearby wreck of the MV Rożi tugboat, scuttled in 1992 as an artificial reef.
Malta’s Police Department has said it has opened an investigation into Saturday’s incident, which will be overseen by Magistrate Joe Mifsud.
