Two die in crash

A man and a woman died in a head-on collision with a truck pulling a 40ft container on the road leading from the airport to Hal Far yesterday afternoon.

Edward Galea, 58, of Ghaxaq, and Maria Anna Brincau, 48, of Ghaxaq, died on the spot. The huge truck, driven by Anthony Abela, 44, of Iklin, was on its way to Hal Far at about 12.15 p.m. and Galea was driving in the opposite direction towards Luqa in a Skoda.

On impact the container truck pushed the Skoda along the road for a long distance. The car's front section - up to the front seats - got wedged under the front of the truck, trapping the occupants inside.

Members of the Civil Protection Department had to cut open the wrecked car to pull the victims out. The operation was carried out under the direction of CPD head Peter Cordina. The driver of the "Alfaran" truck was suffering from shock.

Anyone reaching the spot where the two vehicles came to a standstill after impact would have assumed that the truck had veered out of control, swerving onto the other lane and into the Skoda.

But telltale marks on the tarmac indicated otherwise. The police are investigating the theory that the driver of the Skoda was overtaking another car and crossed onto the wrong lane momentarily, finding the truck in his way.

Parts of the car's indicator and bumper were on the ground at the presumed point of impact on the lane that goes towards Hal Far, some 90 metres away from where the truck stopped against a low wall, with the car crushed under it.

The distance was marked by tyre marks made by both the container truck and the Skoda.

Traffic was diverted while Magistrate Silvio Meli held an on-site inquiry. Inspector Walter Spiteri is conducting investigations.

Court traffic expert Joe Micallef Stafrace, clinical forensic expert Mario Scerri, architect Richard Aquilina and mechanical expert Joe Zammit were also on the spot to help in the inquiry.