A total of 42 people lost their lives in tragic circumstances in the first half of this year, information given in Parliament shows.

That included two murders (excluding the Tarxien murder) , five traffic accidents, 19 suicides, one overdose, 14 other fatal accidents and another case where the cause has still to be determined, Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici told Labour MP Adrian Vassallo.

88 people missing

The minister said in reply to another question that 88 persons are currently listed as missing.

During the first half of this this year, 183 were reported missing of whom 170 were found.

The person who has been missing longest was reported on February 7, 1970.