Updated 8pm with further information on Qrendi rescue - A 20-year-old man was lucky not to be seriously injured on Sunday afternoon when he fell off a cliff into the sea at L-Aħrax tal-Mellieħa. The accident happened at about 4pm.

The Columbian national was unable to climb onto the rocks owing to the waves, but managed to swim out to a launch of the Civil Protection Department which got as close as it could to the shore.

He was then taken to a waiting ambulance at Tunnara in Mellieħa.

Scenes of the rescue operation in Qrendi. (Photos - Civil Protection Department.)Scenes of the rescue operation in Qrendi. (Photos - Civil Protection Department.)

In a separate accident, a 15-year-old boy fell at picturesque Il-Maqluba, Qrendi, also at about 4pm.

The Civil Protection department said its rescuers had to abseil down a cliff to reach the youth in an operation that lasted around an hour. Medical assistance was given on site by hospital personnel and he was later admitted to hospital where his condition was found to be serious. 

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