A sub-contractor hired by the film company shooting at Dwejra did not adhere to certain conditions of the clean-up procedure as detailed by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, the film company said, apologising for the situation.

Fire & Blood Productions had been granted a permit by Mepa for the shooting of ‘Game of Thrones’.

The company said this afternoon that Mepa had set out all the conditions and requirements necessary for work to be undertaken in the area but one of its sub-contractors failed to adhere by them.

“Therefore Fire & Blood Productions apologises for any unnecessary distress caused by this process.”

It said that once the work of the sub-contractor was seen as utilising incorrect methods, all necessary steps and precautions were immediately put in place to ensure that the clean-up process ensued according to the requirements set out by MEPA, and that no lasting or irreversible impact was left on the area.

The production company enlisted a local supervised team with the manual clean-up of the area in accordance with Mepa’s regulations. These requirements involved the removal of sand manually, without the use of mechanical equipment.

The production company said it valued the environmental concerns associated with this issue, and immediate rectification of the situation was embarked upon.

It said it regretted the incident and was committed to continue its positive experience of filming in Malta with the respect the island’s cultural and natural heritage merited.