A new agency is to be set up next year to investigate all major land, sea and air transport accidents and make safety recommendations.

The Traffic Safety Investigation Agency (TSIA) will seek to identify the causes and contributing factors of accidents so that safety lessons can be learnt by the transport industry, a spokeswoman for the Transport Ministry said.

The agency introduces a new model of safety investigation, in that a single entity will be investigating more than one mode of transport. Once established, it will replace the Bureau of Air Accident Investigation and Marine Safety Investigation Unit.

“TSIA will investigate accidents, serious incidents and incidents in the civil aviation, maritime and land transport domains, in accordance with established criteria,” the spokeswoman said. The independent agency will have a permanent structure. Its investigations will not apportion blame – that will remain up to police and the courts. Instead, it will take a “safe systems” approach, with its recommendations focusing on aspects such as engineering.

A microlight crash in 2018. The new agency will also be responsible for air accidents. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

The criteria that determine when an investigation is required are already established by international and regional conventions, directives and regulations for marine and aviation accidents. However, when it comes to road accidents, the criteria will be established on a national level as there exist no international or regional criteria. 

“Malta is taking a proactive approach by tasking the agency to investigate land transport accidents, and the setting up of the agency is a clear message that transport safety is indeed a priority for this government while also being a core value that needs to be engrained in society,” the spokeswoman said.

She said setting up a “multi-modal” safety investigation agency was a significant task, also considering the legal framework and groundwork required to launch it.

“The ministry is currently working to ensure that this agency is launched in 2020.”