Maltese man still under arrest

A Maltese man was still being detained by the police yesterday in connection with the murder of Larissa Safronova, the 25-year-old Russian woman whose body was recovered from the sea on Thursday.

Sources last night said the police were not about to charge anyone with the homicide yet, and though they had released some of the people who had been arrested soon after the corpse was found, investigative work would continue.

Five men, including an Italian, had been helping the police over the past few days. A number of Russian women were also questioned, as were a number of men who were known to have had some form of contact with the woman.

The lifeless body of Ms Safronova, picked up from the sea off the Chalet in Sliema, was found with a black garbage bag over her head.

The autopsy revealed the woman had been strangled shortly before her body was thrown into the water.

The police established the woman's identity on Friday after releasing a photo of her.

They have also established that she had been to Malta several times and had been here for about five months. She was lately living at Swieqi.

Assistant Commissioner Emanuel Cassar and Inspectors Chistopher Pullicino, John Ellul and Daniel Zammit are conducting investigations.

Clinical forensic physician Mario Scerri has been appointed by the court to assist in the inquiry.

Anyone who might have any information about the case can phone the police in confidence on 2122 1111.