The man who died while working on the site of the new Ta' Qali National Park on Wednesday was 40-year-old Adrian Muscat from Għargħur.

Police said the accident happened at about 6.45pm when two men were riding a vehicle which toppled over and they fell down a shaft, a height of about one storey.

The father-of-four was pronounced dead on site. The other man, a 35-year-old from Mġarr, was hospitalised but the extent of his injuries are not yet known. 

On social media, friends paid tribute to the victim, describing him as a "great husband and loving father".

“I can't believe it. It's a shock for us let alone for you all. I'm so so sorry for your loss," one friend wrote to the family.

Magistrate Rachel Montebello is holding an inquiry and an investigation is also underway by the Health and Safety Authority. 

Last year, the government started works on the regeneration of the Ta' Qali National Park.

The first phase of the project, set to almost double the area at the park, was inaugurated in November with the re-opening of the adventure park.