Search continues for UK man missing after boy dies in Ramla Bay drowning tragedy
An 11-year-old boy died yesterday after the pair got into trouble while swimming in the popular bay
Updated Tuesday 7.52am
Authorities are continuing to search for a 37-year-old British national who went missing after getting into difficulty while swimming in Ramla Bay, in a tragedy that also claimed the life of an 11-year-old boy.
Police were called to the scene yesterday at around 1.15pm, with the armed forces and the Civil Protection Department beginning an intensive search by dinghy and helicopter shortly after.
As of Tuesday morning, the search remained ongoing.
The boy was rescued yesterday afternoon and received treatment at the scene before being taken to Gozo General Hospital by ambulance, where he died a short time afterwards.
The Meteorological Office had issued a warning about strong north-west winds hitting Malta on Monday.
The 11-year-old's death marks the 16th drowning since the start of the year.
Earlier this month, a Polish man died after getting into difficulty while swimming at Ramla Bay, while in September, a UK national died while swimming at the Blue Lagoon in Comino. An Italian man died a month earlier after getting into difficulty in the same location.
Two drownings occurred in July; a 67-year-old from Munxar was found unconscious in the sea at Xlendi, while on the same day, a 25-year-old Nepalese man also died at Exiles in Sliema.
The same month, six-year-old Zaylen Borg died after drowning in a pool in Baħar Iċ-Ċagħaq. Sixteen-month-old Noah Mizzi also died in July after being left in a serious condition when he fell into a pool in a private residence in Gozo the month before.
Last year, 14 people died in drowning incidents according to figures provided by the police.