Council denies responsibility over Ċirkewwa fatal accident

The Mellieħa local council yesterday denied it was in any way responsible for the death of 21-year-old policeman Kurt Gauci when he drove off a quay into the water at Ċirkewwa last December.

Last week, Mr Gauci’s heirs filed a judicial letter demanding compensation over the death and named the council in a list of government entities they were holding responsible.

The council, quoting the Local Councils Act, said the quay was not under its jurisdiction and it could not be held responsible.

The heirs were given two days to declare they were no longer holding the council responsible for the incident.

The policeman from Victoria was waiting to catch the ferry back home when he drove his Hyundai Accent onto the wrong quay and into the sea.

Last week, his father, mother and siblings claimed compensation from the authorities for negligence and lack of observance of basic safety rules.

Lawyer Daniela Cassar signed the council’s letter.