Update 2: Photographer dies after fall from cliff into the sea
Updated Friday 7.15 a.m.
Mario Agius, a 57-year-old photographer from Sliema, has died after he fell off a cliff into the sea while taking pictures of a wedding couple near Wied Iz-Zurrieq.
The incident happened at about 7.30 p.m.
Sources said he was taking pictures of the couple, and at one time even warned them not to go near the edge, when he suddenly slipped and fell a height of almost three storeys.
The groom dived to his assistance and the man was rescued and pulled onto a pleasure boat which happened to be close by.
He was taken to shore and rushed to hospital in an ambulance.
His injuries were found to be life threatening and he passed away during the night.
Magistrate Consuelo Scerri-Herrera is holding an inquiry.
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Lynn Zahra
Jul 24th 2010, 22:46
My condolences to all the members of the lovely Agius family, most of whom I have known since my childhood when the family l, ived up the hill from the Viceroy cinema in Paola.
May Mario rest in piece .
Mark Vassallo
Jul 24th 2010, 18:49
Mario we will never forget you and you'll be in our hearts for the rest of our life. Few years ago we met in a family wedding and i will never forget what you told me to look after your sister Louise and from here to day i promise you that i will look after your sister with all my heart as i always did. Mario pray for us all as we all need your prayes. We love you all.
Mark Vassallo
ray pace
Jul 24th 2010, 18:47
Having known Mario and his family for as long as I remember at the Sliema Pitch and later for a few years as neighbours in Pembroke, I can confirm that Mario was one of a kind and always with that smile on his face. The presence of numerous friends and clients at his funeral this morning was a sign of his humbleness. Having done some video work for him, I can confirm his professionalism in the field he loved, a field which unfortunately led to his tragic death. Coincidence or not - when living in Pembroke Mario would pass in front of my parent's house and stop to talk to them - mum passed away two months ago and now Mario passed away too - they are both surely in safe hands. On behalf of my father John and sister Joanna I convey our condolences to his wife Anna, his children and family. May he rest in peace.
Nikki Dimech - Sliema Mayor
Jul 24th 2010, 16:51
To family Aguis
Dear Mrs Aguis and Edward
In the name of the Sliema Local Council and my personal name, as I have known all your family for years, I am tremendously sorry for this tragedy and excuse myslef for not having had the time yesterday to officialy, as a Sliema Mayor and mostly as a close friend of Edward send my deepest regrets as once again (as I lost my grandma 2 months ago) I feel so bad in having forgotten just to send a simple message due to all the political pressure and fast life we live nowadays. I remember Mario to be a person who never commented about anyone, let people live their own lives and above all was such a nice person. I can't forget before my election when the Aguis family organized for me a gathering at their residence and they supported me.
God has already opened his door for Mario as he was one of those who could never do any harm to any person due to his kind heart. I know it is easier said than done, but keep united as you always were and God will be there.
Nikki
Mandy Spiteri
Jul 24th 2010, 16:22
What a sad story, can any one tell me please, did Mario previously have a shop in the old Alambra complex, now Zara in Sliema? Condolences to his family!
Marilyn Baldacchino Gatt
Jul 24th 2010, 18:56
Ms Spiteri... Mario had his shop in St. Sebastian Street, Qormi for the last 40 years
DIANE ZAMMIT
Jul 24th 2010, 15:19
Uncle, kif jinfettah il bieb tan nanna, nitawwal biex forsi ha nara wiccek , b dik id dahka tas soltu imma ma tkunx int. Nixtieq inqum min din il holma kerha. Inhobbok hafna!
daniela and victor borg
Jul 24th 2010, 15:12
kif smajt l ahbar ixxukjajt ruhi,u ghadni nehwden u nahseb,ftit jiem qabel kien ghadu kemm sellem lir ragel ghax konna ghaddejin fil karozza hdejn il hanut tieghu,konna imorru spiss ghandu u kien vera bniedem orajt u qalbu tajba,kien jghijdilna itfawom fil bott tal missjoni il flus meta konna naghmlu koppji ta xi 4 ritratti,u vera fotografu tajjeb,il kondoljanzi lil familja tieghu u il mulej itih il mistrieh ta dejjem,certa li MARIO qighed hdejh fil genna,ghal darbohra alla ghogbu jiehu warda minn din id dinja u johoda hdejh,,,
Joe Xuereb
Jul 24th 2010, 13:08
Mario Agius, a photographer. I would have loved to have known this man. It seems very unfair for life to be cut short while doing what he did with such passion. Mario's memory will live in the hundreds of wedding photographs scattered in homes all over Malta. RIP.
@ Leslie Gladwish. I am Joe. If you lived in the house in front of the nuns' school in Hamrun (tal-Francizi), then I was your neighbour upstairs (just after the war and up to late 40s). We grew up in the same neighbourhood. It would be nice if you said hello.
guzexuereb@hotmail.com
Leslie Gladwish
Jul 24th 2010, 14:53
Hello Joe, Thankyou for your kind thoughts I was born in 1955 My family immigrated to Australia in 1964, so you may be thinking of another Leslie Gladwish. I have a cousin with the same name he is older than me. Perhaps the Leslie Gladwish you knew was him
Joe Xuereb
Jul 24th 2010, 19:49
Thanks for replying so quickly Sur Gladwish. I looked up in Facebook and you are younger than Leslie my ex-neighbour. If he is a cousin and you're in touch, you could forward him my e.mail. Of course you don't have to and nor does 'the real' Leslie Gladwish. It's that there it was, a little snippet of my distant childhood, staring me in the fact.
Thanks again. Take care.
Leslie Gladwish
Jul 25th 2010, 12:56
Unfortunately I don't have an email address for the other "Leslie Gladwish" I know he doesn't use a computer very much. I did see him last year when I was in Malta on holiday. We contacted him by telephone. My sister just returned from a holiday in Malta last week and she used the same telephone number but could not contact him. So we are not quite sure where he is at the moment!! Sorry
Ruth Buhagiar
Jul 24th 2010, 10:07
Although I just came from your funeral, Mario, I still cannot beleive what happened, you were a great friend to my dad who died exactly 10 months before you, and we saw you cry for him, I do not know you that much but I must say that you were a great man, everyone have seen it today with all the people that came to give you their last goodbye, may you rest in peace together with my dad.
charlie debattista
Jul 24th 2010, 12:22
special condolences to all the family. we lost a gentleman. god bless his soul.
Denis Bartolo
Jul 24th 2010, 08:56
What a tragic loss, same age as Mario knew him since 11 years old from our Viceroy Cinema hang out days. A great gentle man and always with a smile on his face. You will be greatly missed Mario.
Isabelle Mizzi
Jul 24th 2010, 08:08
Although we did not know Mario Agius personally, he was a colleague and we are deeply sorry for this tragic loss, whilst doing his job. I must admit sometimes I have done it myself to take a good photo and also warn the clients to be careful. This is an eyeopener and will not risk my life anymore for a photo! Our condolences to his family and friends. May he rest in peace. We cannot be at his funeral but our thoughts and prayers will be for him. Isabelle Mizzi Photography
Martin Agius
Jul 24th 2010, 07:09
May God Be With Him And His Family.
Melanie Farrugia
Jul 24th 2010, 06:44
What a tragic news! Yesterday I saw flowers outside his shop and now I read this news...condoliences to Agius family!
Ronnie Camilleri
Jul 24th 2010, 03:11
On behalf of all the promoters and staff at Mailbox Services Group of companies I would like to express our deepest condolences to our Director Ryan
Gales for the tragic loss of his uncle Mario. May god grant Mario eternal peace and give strenghth to all his family.
GRAZIELLA &MICHAEL CARABOTTg
Jul 24th 2010, 01:03
WE KNOW MARIO SINCE LAST YEAR.BECAUSE HE TOOK OUR PRE-WEDDING PICTURE! MARIO WAS A GENTLEMAN AND VERY QUITE PERSON.WE WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE BEAUTIFUL PICTURES HE TOOK US AND WE WILL TREASURE THEM FOREVER.MAY HE REST IN PEACE .AND CONDOLENCE HIS FAMILY. WE WILL PRAY FOR THEM.
David Brincat
Jul 23rd 2010, 23:32
May the Lord grant Mario eternal peace and provide strength to his family at this very difficult moment.
Alan Bonnici
Jul 23rd 2010, 22:15
My deepest condolences to my dear friend Edward and family.
Alice Darmanin
Jul 23rd 2010, 21:35
Mario, l-ahhar darba li gejt niehu r-ritratti fil-hanut tieghek, kont ghidtli "Hello Alice kif inti? Bqajt xebba inti ma zzewwigx!!!" U jiena wegibtek "Ghidtlek li kieku xi darba naghmel il-hsieb, ovvjament li lilek ser nghid biex tohodli r-ritratti tat-tieg" U wara ftit semmejtli lil missieri u ghidtli "Il-papa' daqt tasallu l-festa ta' San Bastjan. Niggsutah kemm iqabbillu quddiem il-vara!!!" Mur ghidli li dawk kienu ser ikunu l-ahhar kliem ta' bejnietna. Nassigurak li hallejt vojt kbir Mario warajk. Ma nistax innizzilha li nghaddi minn fuq il-bankina ta' quddiem il-hanut tieghek u nara is-shutter imnizzel. U x'hin rajt il-fjuri, ikolli nghid li qalbi ma felhitx iktar u bkejtek. Il-firda kiefra wisq specjalment ghall-familja tieghek ghax mhux ghalihom biss kont qisek anglu imma anki ghalina l-Qriema. Ghada gejja ntik l-ahhar tislima tieghi flimkien mal-familja. Waqt li inti tkun fin-nofs tal-knisja, San Bastjan ser ikun fil-genb jistennik biex jilqghak mieghu ghalkemm m'ghandix dubju li diga qieghed fejn il-Mulej. Itlob ghalina Mario minn fejn qieghed. Inwedek li ma nnsewk qatt. Grazzi tal-ghajnuna kollha tieghek. Caw Mario.
Nibghat il-kondoljanzi lill-familja Agius.
Alice, Joseph, Bastjan u Marija.
Alexia Calleja
Jul 23rd 2010, 20:50
veru qed jidispjacina meta smajna b ahbar . bhal lum xahar lilu konna flimkien niehdu ir rittati tal pre -wedding, veru handna gost bil mod ta kif imxejt manna sirna nafu izjed kemm kont ragel uniku u ta qalb tajba. Ha jidispjacina hafna li meta nizzwiegu mhux se tkun mana biss se tkun fil qlubna ghax nafu kemm kont looking foward al tieg taghna.
Dejjem fil memorja taghna
Robert and Alexia
M. Aquilina
Jul 23rd 2010, 19:48
Kemm hu sabih meta bniedem ikun ghex hajja ezemplari, umli, mhux iffissat fuq il-flus u fuq kollox dejjem bi tbissimma fuq fommu! Ghax Mario adotta din it-tip ta hajja, nistghu nikkummentaw fuqu u nsemmu mitt elf pregju li kellu!!! Kuragg lil familja tieghu, mhux facli titlef missier!!! Ritratt haj ta' veru!!!