The son of a man killed in a boating hit and run has hit out at lawyer Jason Azzopardi for “reopening wounds” into his father’s death.  

In a Facebook post on Monday, Azzopardi made a cryptic reference to Prime Minister Robert Abela and a hit and run at sea in Marsascala 12 years ago.

“Prime (minister), how long will you hold onto the buoy? The truth of the inquiry will come out. This is not a hit and run at sea. Those from the south have not forgotten what happened in Marsascala in 2012," he wrote.  

In August 2012, Charles Brignone was hit on the head by a propeller while snorkelling in Żonqor, Marsascala. The driver of the boat which killed the 44-year-old was never identified.  

Charles Brignone died in August,12-years ago following a boating hit and run

On Thursday, the victim's son said Azzopardi's post had re-opened questions on his father’s death that he had accepted he would never have an answer for.  

“Almost 12- years, that’s how long it took for this wound to re-open for me, my mother Josianne Brignone and other family members regarding my father’s case,” Romario Brignone said.  

Brignone said he personally messaged Azzopardi on whether he had more information to what he published on Facebook.  

“His reply was simple that he does not know about my father’s case, and that he was not referring to that case but another one”.  

Romario Brignone said there were no other cases of hit and run at sea in 2012 in Marsascala. 

“If you tried to use my father’s case for ulterior motives or to send a message you must have no heart. Don’t throw a bomb like that after 12 years without considering anything. Shame. I cannot believe it,” he said.  

Contacted for comment by Times of Malta, Azzopardi said he was not referring to that particular incident in his post but another.  

Asked to specify which case he was referring to, Azzopardi would not say.  

Brignone, an avid snorkeller, was on his annual family camping trip in Żonqor, limits of Marsascala, when he went snorkelling at about 10am on August 4, 2012.

When he did not return by mid-afternoon his wife, Josianne, called for help and his body was found the following morning.   

He suffered fatal head injuries after being struck by a boat propeller but investigators were unable to trace the boat involved.