The widow of a 35-year-old army sergeant who was killed when he was hit on the head by a boat’s propeller while diving a year ago is still waiting for the magisterial inquiry into the case to be concluded.

Catherine Degabriele, 35, is also refreshing her appeal for anyone who knows anything to speak up in the name of justice.

“I hope that, someday, I will know what really happened…. He died alone and I want to know what he saw… Every month, I check with the lawyer of the victim support agency and the police inspector. The lawyer informed me that he checks every week but he has no update from the magistrate,” she said. 

She added: “We’ve reached a point that, unless you speak up in the media, you are forgotten. Apart from facing the pain of the loss, you are left having to chase the system, instead of the system helping you.”

Her husband, Christian, died on August 11 last year last year when he was hit by a boat while diving in the area between Buġibba and St Paul’s Islands.

He had been reported missing on August 11 at about 5.30pm. A search was conducted by the AFM and the Civil Protection Department, with the body being recovered at around 8.45am on August 12.

Apart from facing the pain of the loss, you are left having to chase the system, instead of the system helping you- Catherine Degabriele, the victim's wife

An autopsy later revealed he had skull injuries compatible to having been caused by a propeller. His role in the army was to offer electronic support for AFM vessels.

In April, the police issued a fresh appeal for information at the request of Catherine.

Speaking to Times of Malta back then, she recounted how she met her husband in April 2012.

“When we met, it was love at first sight. I’m grateful that I have experienced this in my lifetime. I was at a restaurant with about four friends and he was at another table with a friend. We spent the entire evening looking at each other. Before we left, I saw him walk up to me. I wish you could hear him tell this story,” she had said.

“He wrote his mobile number on a receipt and gave it to me. He said, ‘you don’t know me, but take a chance’,” she recalls.

A week later, she phoned him – she took the chance. The couple got married in May 2016. A year before, in April 2015, their daughter, Clarissa, was born.

'Christian loved nature and the sea'

Speaking about the day of the accident, Catherine recounted how Christian went diving almost every Saturday. He always loved nature and the sea. Since about 2017, he took diving seriously – he did the courses and was always reading about it and watching diving videos.

That week was the week of the Santa Maria feast and Christian worked half days in summer. The weather forecast for Saturday was not good, so he planned to go diving on Thursday. That morning, he met up with a friend from the army to go diving.

The two divers went their separate ways and agreed to meet at 5.30pm near the dinghy but Christian did not turn up.

As his friend looked around, he saw that the dive buoy’s rope was cut.

His friend contacted other friends from the AFM and they searched. Meanwhile, they informed Catherine, who was at home with her daughter, about what was happening. The next morning, his body was found by his colleagues.

“What happened was a shock. We were still in our honeymoon period – building our future. We never even spoke about death. Suddenly, he was stolen from us. His future was stolen from him and my daughter’s life was changed forever. We had many plans and were considering leaving Malta once he retired from the army where he had already spent 14 years working. Everything just fell through,” she said.

Anyone with information on the case can speak to the police, anonymously or otherwise, by calling police headquarters on 21224001/119 or by reporting to the nearest police station.