‘There should be warning signs’: man recalls ‘freak wave’ in Ċirkewwa
Joseph Tabone Ferrante was walking with his partner when a wave struck them opposite the south quay
A man who was hit by what he described as a freak wave in Ċirkewwa while walking on the road in 2021 has called for warning signs to be installed in the area, after a similar wave claimed the life of 13-year-old Polish girl Oliwia Wojnowska.
Joseph Tabone Ferrante told Times of Malta he was walking with his partner when the wave struck them near the zebra crossing opposite the south quay, close to where Wojnowska was swept into the sea by a wave on Monday night.
The sea pinned her father, 49, and brother, 17, against a wall. The father sustained injuries while trying to grab her.
“It must have been a freak wave that hit us because I calculated that we were between 50 and 60 metres away from the sea. The sea was rough, but not as rough as Monday, and the area where we were walking was completely dry. I would never have expected the water to come up there,” he said.
Tabone Ferrante said he heard what sounded like a bomb going off before a wall of water smashed into them from above.“It felt like someone threw a box at me, and my partner was thrown to the ground.
She was face down in about 20 centimetres of water and sustained injuries to her face, hands and knees,” he said, adding that, since the incident, his partner was reluctant to get close to the sea.
“We both got soaked through despite wearing waterproof clothes, and my phone stopped working.” Tabone Ferrante said his eyes welled up when he heard about Monday’s incident.
“I reached out because I want to help warn people about how the area seems to be susceptible to freak waves. There should also be warning signs.”
An image provided by Joseph Tabone Ferrante showing where he and his wife were struck by the wave.
Photo 01: Dinara before getting soaked.
Photo 02: Dinara afterwards
'Waves go over walls'
Mellieħa mayor Gabriel Micallef said the area was notorious for large waves due to both the prevailing winds and the orientation of the quay.
“The waves often go over the walls of the quay with such strength that they cover the pavements and road.
"In 2024, there were instances when parked cars were dragged away, and barriers were installed to prevent this from happening,” he said, describing Monday’s incident as a frightening tragedy.
Wojnowska’s body was recovered by CPD divers in Paradise Bay yesterday morning following an intensive search by sea, air and land. The divers could not join the operation earlier because of the sea conditions in Paradise Bay. In total, the CPD had 25 personnel on site.
The body was brought to shore on a boat at the Marfa jetty.
More photos by Peter Petrov.
More photos by Peter Petrov.