Pelin Kaya’s body was flown to Turkey for burial on Saturday evening on a flight operated by Turkish Airlines.

Pelin, a Turkish interior designer, was walking down Testaferrata Street at 1am after celebrating her 30th birthday when a car ploughed into her before hitting a petrol station and the Gżira branch of a KFC restaurant. 

A video showed the horrific crash in the early hours of Wednesday and how Jereme Camilleri, who holds French and Maltese citizenship and has been charged with her murder, strolled away from the vehicle.

Witnesses have said he then threw stones at the victim as she lay on the ground.He is denying the charges.

In a statement, Pelin’s family said that the woman’s body was met by her mother and father, who had been too devastated to travel to Malta.

She will be buried in Turkey, where she was born.

Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

The family said Friday’s vigil at the exact spot where Pelin was last alive was a “significant moment for our family” and “we are grateful for the solidarity showed with us and for all those who offered their help and kind words to us”.

“Pelin left Malta dead, but our belief that justice will be done, remains alive. We will fight in Pelin’s name so who interrupted her wonderful life will get what he deserves and can no longer harm anyone else,” they said.

They thanked the Maltese authorities for their cooperation so that the body could be transported to Turkey only a few days after her death and for committing to cover all funeral expenses, including the transportation.

They also thanked their legal team in Malta - Shazoo Ghaznavi and his team - as well as their Turkish advisors at Harmancı & Partners, the Turkish embassy in Malta and the Maltese Embassy in Turkey.