A five-year-old Maltese boy was saved from drowning at Ramla Bay in Gozo by a volunteer lifeguard who saw him floating in the water early yesterday afternoon.

Volunteer Giacomo Xerri was patrolling the bay at about noon when he saw a boy in a semi-unconscious state in the water, his fellow volunteer Tonio Bezzina recounted later.

Mr Xerri pulled the boy out of the water and, together with fellow lifeguard Mark Portelli, placed him in recovery position. A doctor who happened to be on the beach administered first aid.

At first, the boy was not responsive but then regained consciousness, Mr Bezzina said. The boy’s family was shocked at what had happened and was extremely worried, he added.

An ambulance took him to Gozo General Hospital. His condition is not serious.

The lifeguarding service at Ramla is run on a daily basis by the Emergency Response and Rescue Corps until the end of September with the support of the Gozo Ministry and two organisations – Eco Gozo and Gaia foundation.

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