The family of Edwin Lopez, killed in a Paola traffic accident last week, are collecting funds to repatriate his body.

The police told Times of Malta that the body of the 48-year-old victim from the Philippines has been released by the inquiring magistrate and it is now up to the family to make the necessary repatriation arrangements.

But the COVID-19 pandemic and lack of funds have made it impossible for Lopez’s relatives to come to Malta and his family are asking people to help transport the body.

“My mother cannot accept reality. She’s very depressed and I don’t know what to do... Her and dad used to video call every day in the morning and the evening. Until now, that was her only routine for eight years. But now she has lost all hope," his son Bryan told Times of Malta.

“Everyday she looks at pictures of my father and cries until she is tired. Everyday she wakes up upset and says this is all a dream.”

Edwin Lopez was a Malta Public Transport employee until last year.

Lopez was riding his motor-bike on Triq l-Irvellijiet 1958 in the afternoon of July 14 when he was involved in a crash with a Land Rover, driven by a 37-year-old man from Paola. He was taken to hospital where he died a short time later. 

Bryan said the family had very limited information about the incident and his relatives were calling for justice for the deceased man who left his home country eight years ago, working in Dubai and Saudi Arabia among other destinations.

He was the main breadwinner and worked with Malta Public Transport until last year.

When contacted, the police said that on the day of the incident they got in touch with the Consulate of the Philippines in Malta in order to establish contact with the family.

“For the past days, the victim’s family were being updated accordingly. The force’s Victim Support Unit has also been roped in to assist in this case,” a police spokesperson said.

When it comes to the dynamics of the accident, apart from the police investigations, there was also an ongoing magisterial inquiry, the spokesperson added.

E-mail sarah.carabott@timesofmalta.com for more information on how to help the Lopez family.