Updated: Man drowns at Blue Lagoon
File photo of the Blue Lagoon.
A 31-year-old Russian who lived in Xemxija died after finding himself in difficulty while swimming at the Blue Lagoon in Comino this afternoon.
An eyewitness said that people brought the man ashore and attempted to resuscitate him. An AFM helicopter arrived within a few minutes and landed on the nearby hill. A medical team disembarked and tried to help the man, who was then winched onboard with the help of army rescuers, then conveyed to Gozo General Hospital, where he was declared dead.
An inquiry is being held.
22 Comments
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Adrian Axiak
Jun 6th 2012, 14:47
Lifeguading service will start near end of june. It doesn't depend on the lifeguards when they start, but from higher authority.
richard o
Jun 6th 2012, 10:15
i was there, i was the one saw you drowning , tried to help you :( , peace my brother hope you in a happier place now. daaaammmmmmmn where was the life guard????? no ring , defibulators
Mr Victor G Mercieca
Jun 6th 2012, 09:06
Next to Blue lagoon it has become imperative to have an emergency helipad, and in the peak summer times AFM should station one Helicopter over there, to serve that area within 5 mins reach of Gozo hospital, not every time they have to fly from Luqa wasting precious minutes, also serving Mellieha Bay area as we had many require medivac cases that happen in these popular crowded beaches!!!!!
Kenneth Galea
Jun 6th 2012, 08:37
@N Bill Camilleri
Yes I got the 'tourist' bit wrong. I reread the article and the deceased was a resident in Malta. Still a terrible tragedy, what was supposed to be a fun day turned into a nightmare.
Joseph Dalli
Jun 6th 2012, 01:04
Any reason why a tourist and national attraction of this level does not have a first aid team on location? Does the government need the opposition to point this out to them as well before anything is done?
Kieron O'connor
Jun 5th 2012, 22:42
Considering the amount of tourists and locals who visit the blue lagoon during the summer season would it not be a good idea to put a lifeguard station there with a defibrillator and other life saving equipment?
Kenneth Galea
Jun 5th 2012, 20:52
What a terrible loss of life. A tourist enjoying the sun and sea and he loses tragically his life. Beda kmieni milli jidher is-sajf din is-sena. Ha naraw xinhu gej f'Lulju........Alla henn ghalina and give us a cool summer.
N. Bill Camilleri
Jun 6th 2012, 02:44
He lived in Xemxija. I guess everyone is a tourist in Comino.
victor sammut
Jun 5th 2012, 17:28
hassejt li ghandi najt izjed,kont ilni ma immur comino xi 20 sena jew izjed,u ma ghandix il hsieb li nerga immur, mort is-sajf li adda u kieku stajt kont nitlaq dak il-hin stess lura,waslna xi 11.00 kienet diga mimlija bin-nies,lanqas stajna nimxu,id (deckchairs) u l umbrellas hadu kullimkien,ma kienx hemm post fejn noqodu,sthajt ma min kont li gew mil l-awstralia ghal holidays,konna qiesna sardiens,apparti li biex tixtri jew tikri xi haga mhux IRHIS TA
Shir Borg
Jun 5th 2012, 22:04
Ma stajtx ma nejd xejn fuq dan il kument li halejt. jien persuna nhobb naqra it times. ma nafx alfjn dejjem ihallu kummenti kontra min jahdem kemuna bid- deckchairs. Illum jiena kont hemm fejn gara dan laccident, dawk li kienu jahdmu hemm kienu lewwel li ghenu lil dan il wiehed u pruvaw isalvawh. Ma nafx alfjn dejjem jikritikaw lil min jamel il gid u jamel is servizz u mhux veru li ma tistax taddi ax mort u stjat naddi u sibt fejn noqod!
Colin Stanley
Jun 5th 2012, 17:14
don't let the youngsters jump off the high cliff.in summer too many accidents.
pat muscat
Jun 5th 2012, 17:28
Hear hear, young people are diving off Cominotto cliffs-some 50 meters high , without any experience whatsoever. There should be a warning sign, or free diving should simply be forbidden.
A Micallef
Jun 5th 2012, 17:45
I hope its a suggestion rather than implying things.
pat muscat
Jun 5th 2012, 22:49
@A.Micallef. What things am I implying? A daughter of a friend of mine took the plunge from the top of the cliff-due to peer pressure, and ended up in a wheelchair for 5 years; luckily she can now lead a normal life.
victor sammut
Jun 5th 2012, 16:56
issa li kwazi dahal is-sajf,u comino se tkun kuljum mimlija bin-nies kemm bil-maltin u izjed turisti,hemm bzonn ta xi hadd (stand by) tag boat jew xi tip ta first aid at least day time
Giovanni Rizzo
Jun 5th 2012, 17:07
Illum qabel ghada wkoll.
Peter Zahra
Jun 5th 2012, 18:05
Normalment f sajf dejjem jkun hemm ta Civil protection bl lanca l orange mv Garibaldi u tkun ankrata ta spiss taht il kastel ta Kemmuna. Jkun hemm anke pulizija jduru fl inhawi ta kemuna b dingies. Dan qed nghidu ghaliex nkun ta spiss fl ihawi ta kemuna.
Jien ma nistax nikummenta fuq il kaz li gara, pero f blue lagoon u specjlament bhal lum meta l bahar jkun qawwi, jkun hemm hafna kurrent fil bahar min taht. Jista jghati l kas li dan kien il kagun tragiku ta dan iz zaghzugh.
Domnic Scerri
Jun 5th 2012, 18:41
ta kull sena kien ikun hemm lifeguards u dghajsa minn taghhom stand by. Fill-fatt is- sena l- ohra kont qrajt hafna fuqom li ghamlu xoghol eccellenti. Mistageb kif din is- sena ghadom ma bdewx daqshekk turisti li jkun hemm kemuna!
Mr Carmel Saliba
Jun 5th 2012, 19:25
PLEASE READ THE BELOW LINK TO FIND WHO PROVIDED FIRST AID LAST YEAR.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110812/local/Lifeguards-rescue-seven-swimmers-as-strong-currents-hit-Blue-Lagoon.379937
M. Attard
Jun 6th 2012, 01:51
@ Peter Zahra .... grazzi ta l-informazzjoni. Almenu hemm x'jindika xi haga dwar il kurrenti fl-inhawi tal-post stess? Hemm hadd ma joqghod u min izur hemm tista tghid li jkun strangier ta l-inhawi.
Ian Mamo
Jun 5th 2012, 14:41
RIP......
richard o
Jun 5th 2012, 22:15
very sad moment was there, do you know this guy?
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