A video showing a 17-year-old boy jumping off a fourth-floor balcony onto the roof of another structure metres away at the Jerma Hotel ruins in Marsascala has been described as “irrational” and “reckless” by safety experts.

Emergency doctor Jonathan Joslin said that free jumping, or parkour, has “had its share of local casualties mainly in view of the inexperience and amateur approach taken by those attempting to carry out dangerous jumps without due attention, training and protection”.

He was reacting to a social media video shared by the 17-year-old on Instagram and Facebook that showed him standing on the fourth-floor balcony of an abandoned building with no railings. In the video, the boy then jumps onto the roof of a building that is a storey lower and several metres away -  as his friends film him from different angles.

In the post the young man writes:  “Biggest mental challenge of my life. Did this on my own birthday… and I turned 17 in style…. Haters gonna hate this one for sure haha, now I’m stronger and more mentally prepared for jumps like this. Bday was going to be my deathday too haha."

The teen leaps into the air.

Peter Paul Coleiro, who heads the Civil Protection Department, described the video as “reckless endangerment of life and limb”.

“I warn against such actions as a mistake will have life-altering consequences if not lead to death,” he said.

Joslin said the video “is outright irrational action by a person risking his life for social media glory. By prioritising safety and education, enthusiasts can continue to enjoy the exhilarating challenges of parkour while minimising potential hazards.”

Joslin said that freerunning, or parkour, was an extreme sport in which the trained athlete could navigate overcoming day-to-day obstacles found within the urban environment through simple jumps, rolls or more acrobatic manoeuvres over wider spaces which require training and expertise to carry out safely as in any sport.

"As the sport gains traction, it's crucial to emphasise the importance of proper guidance and safety measures for aspiring practitioners. Parkour requires a combination of physical skill, mental focus, and spatial awareness. Training under experienced instructors and utilizing appropriate safety equipment can mitigate the risks associated with the sport," he said.