Updated 8.30 pm with tributes
Mirabelle Falzon has been identified as the 22-year-old woman who died on Friday after being crushed under a rockfall in Marsascala.
Police confirmed the death on Friday afternoon after earlier reporting that the woman had been rushed to Mater Dei hospital shortly after the incident happened at around 3 pm.
Falzon, who police said is from Siġġiewi, was at a swimming spot in an area known as Munxar, within the limits of St Thomas Bay in Marsascala.
A medical team and members of the Civil Protection Department assisted with the rescue, after which the she was taken to Mater Dei Hospital by ambulance.
However, she died shortly after.
Magistrate Antione Agius Bonnici has opened an inquiry into the death and a police investigation is still ongoing.
Eyewitnesses saw medical teams assist the woman, saying she was brought to shore in St Thomas Bay and quickly transferred to an ambulance.
Footage posted online shows several emergency vehicles gathered on the bay, as stunned onlookers watched.
‘I did everything I could to save you’
As the shocking news spread on Friday evening, tributes began pouring in mourning Falzon’s loss in what many have described as tragic circumstances.
Falzon's boyfriend Keith Cutajar, who appeared to have been with her when the incident occurred, lamented the difficult loss online.
“I did everything I could to save you but I failed,” Cutajar said in a sombre post.
“How am I going to live without you, you were my world and I'm going to go crazy without you. Oh how I wish I could hug you for one last time,” he said.
Friends and former classmates expressed sorrow at Falzon’s death, remembering her as a joyful and kind person, always ready with a joke.
“I can’t believe this, you were always an incredible girl who always had a smile on her face. I will treasure the memories we shared forever,” one woman said.
“I’m so shocked at this news and I’m so sorry that we’ve lost such a beautiful girl, both inside and out,” wrote another friend.
“You would always be the one to get the whole class laughing, our joker, we will miss you so much.”
INDIS Malta, the industrial park state agency where Falzon worked, also paid tribute to her following news of her death, remembering her as a beloved and diligent colleague.
"Mirabelle was an integral part of our team, known for their dedication, hard work, and kindness. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and loved ones during this difficult time," they said.