Friends of a Venezuelan man who died after being struck by a car in Marsa have raised almost €5,000 to repatriate his body and lay him to rest.

Jesús David Reina Quero, who lived in Msida, was killed in the accident as he crossed the road on Monday afternoon.

His fiancée Maria Giraud has previously described her heartache at realising he was the victim of the incident after recognising his shoes in a picture carried on a news report.

In a message on the Go Fund Me crowdfund page she said the "painful campaign" to raise €8,000 would cover the funeral expenses and help to pay her flight back so she can take her fiance's remains to his family. 

Maria and Jesus had just returned from a holiday together. Photo: Family handout

The 24-year-old was hit by a Mercedes Benz C250, driven by a 66-year-old man from Fgura on the December 13 road in Marsa, and died later in Mater Dei hospital.

His fiancée has described having to wait 18 hours before a friend was allowed to identify the body. 

"We take everything for granted without knowing the plans that life has for us," she said on the crowdfunding page, adding her gratitude for those who have already donated. 

The 21-year-old described her fiancé as a “noble, caring young man".

"His friends say that the world was too small for him because of how good he was, I love him with all my heart, we were engaged and a few days ago, we had returned from a magical trip together... I can't describe how painful this situation is for our families," she wrote. 

Maria and Jesus during a recent holiday.

Maria came to Malta 10 months ago to join her partner, Jesús David Reina Quero, who had moved here three years ago.

A magisterial inquiry has been launched and police are investigating the fatal accident. 

Close to the time of the accident Maria had noticed that Jesús was missing. She told Times of Malta how the young chef had gone to take his knives for sharpening in Birżebbuġa by bus but never picked them up.

She spoke to him via WhatsApp at 1.29pm, just over 40 minutes before the accident.

"Later I tried reaching him and I spoke to his colleagues who he was meant to meet. He never turned up,” she said.