Calls for first-aid centre at Ċirkewwa Marine Park grow following diver's death
Deceased diver, Dione Galdes, was treated for almost half an hour in the sun
The diving community wants two "wasted" rooms at the Ċirkewwa Marine Park to be used as a first-aid centre, after a renowned local diver was given emergency treatment out in the sun in front of other divers on Sunday.
On Tuesday, 59-year-old Dione Galdes died after succumbing to injuries he suffered in an accident in Ċirkewwa on Sunday. He was an experienced dive instructor from Iklin who was widely respected in the diving community.
Diver David Agius said Galdes was given first-aid attention on the pavement in the sun, in front of other divers.
Agius, who runs the diving community website divinginfo.mt, said that it was an unfortunate accident that happened in around two metres of water prior to the actual dive starting.
The diving community has repeatedly said that the Ċirkewwa Marine Park does not have a proper first-aid centre, and it has previously appealed for two rooms to be used as a first-aid centre.
When news that Galdes suffered serious injuries spread on Sunday, Agius sent an email to the prime minister and the concerned authorities flagging the poor conditions in which Galdes received first-aid care.
“All treatment in full view of arriving local divers, diving tourists and passersby for close to 30 minutes, being given CPR in almost 40 degrees of sun until an ambulance from Mater Dei arrived,” the email read.
As this happened in public, Agius added that this scene also poorly affected divers mentally.
The email reminded the government of the possibility of having two rooms, located next to the divers’ bathrooms at Ċirkewwa Marine Park, serve as a first aid room and a site office for park managers.
Currently, these rooms are owned by Transport Malta and leased out to Gozo Channel Operations Ltd.
Location of the two rooms. Photo: divinginfo.mtIn April, the website uploaded an article highlighting the shortcomings of first-aid availability on-site.
The article explained that first aiders and park managers stay in a rented container in the summer. However, they are unable to rent this in winter due to storms that may hit the area.
First aid equipment - AED and spinal board - are located outside the divers' bathrooms, exposed to the sun and rain, it said. Besides this, the park lacks places where proper treatment can be administered, it added.
“A better equipped first aid room might provide access to better and more advanced first aid equipment and conditions that may allow better recovery opportunities and/or at least, privacy,” the article wrote.
The article referred to a similar incident in October 2024, where a British diver who died after succumbing to injuries was also given CPR for almost 30 minutes outside.
The website, in May, announced that it had collected 236 signatures from the diving community, calling for the rooms to be used as a health centre and office.
Questions were sent to Transport Malta and the Gozo Ministry.