An adult female turtle was found dead and later retrieved over the Santa Marija long weekend. 

The turtle was a victim of ghost fishing, a phenomenon in which abandoned or lost fishing nets cause marine wildlife to become entangled and stuck.  

In this case, the loggerhead turtle was unable to get back to the surface and suffocated to death. It had also swallowed a hook causing internal damage.

Divers Anna Degiorgio and Nunzio Dugo spotted the dead turtle on Sunday. 

"It's a sad day diving when this is what you find on an abandoned stretch of long-line," Degiorgio said on Facebook. 

She said the adult female was "possibly on its way home to lay her eggs."

On Monday two NGOs Żibel and Nature Trust’s Wildlife Rescue Team, coordinated retrieving the turtle and removing the fishing debris. The Environment and Resources Authority and Clean Malta collected the carcass. 

Ghost fishing and hook swallowing are two prominent causes of turtle deaths, and rescues. Nature Trust president, Vince Attard said 45% of the sea turtles they have rescued have swallowed fishing bait.

Around 30 turtles are rescued every year by Nature Trust Wildlife Rescue Team. 

In their Facebook post, the Wildlife Rescue Team appealed for responsible practices.

"We can all co-exist and be mindful of what surrounds us”, they said.