Two divers rescued in 'daring' operation
The AFM rescued two divers from rough seas at Dwejra, Gozo, yesterday, in what was described as a 'daring and delicate' search and rescue operation.
In a statement today, the AFM said the alert was raised at around 5.30 pm.
Gozo police informed the AFM Operations Centre, that two divers - a man and a woman - were missing during a diving trip at Dwejra.
The police locating the divers’ van parked at Dwejra with no diving equipment in it. It was thus assumed that the individuals went on a dive and failed to return.
The AFM deployed a helicopter and a rescue launch while a patrol boat was put on standby at Mgarr Harbour.
Policemen on site reported that they could make out one individual at the edge of the 'inland sea' area struggling to hold on to the rocks in the rough sea.
The helicopter rescue team led by Pilot Sgt Mark Cassar and rescue swimmers Sgt Pepe and Lance Bombardier Cassar located the man who was hoisted on board the helicopter.
The AFM said this was "a very delicate air-sea rescue operation" which involved helicopter manoeuvres close to the cliffs in winds of well over 22 knots and sea state conditions of Force 6 to 7 during low light visibility.
The diver was transferred to a awaiting ambulance at Dwejra.
The helicopter crew that resumed the search for the missing woman.
The search was about to be discontinued, with the helicopter low on fuel and almost pitch darkness, when Sgt Carmelo Psaila spotted what appeared to be the head of the missing diver barely visible in the waves.
An AFM rescue swimmer jumped into sea and managed to winch her safely on board the helicopter, which then proceeded directly to Gozo Hospital.
Both divers are reportedly in a stable condition.
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Joseph Gerardi
Feb 7th, 20:53
Big well done and thanks to the AFM boys. Glad everything ended up fine for Chris and Abigail. Well done Manuel who sensed something was not right and alerted the rescue team.
j camilleri
Feb 7th, 18:54
Well done, the nation is proud of you as always. God bless you and keep it up. Thank you guys you're great :)
Abigail Borg
Feb 7th, 18:32
The citizens of Malta and Gozo should be comforted to know that we have people like you who do their job with utmost passion. We are lucky to have you when we need you the most.
Abigail Borg
Feb 7th, 18:32
L/Bdr Pierre Cassar: You are my hero! You got right in there with us! And that is the ultimate act of selfless dedication!
The ambulance staff who assisted my friend on land and later the fantastic Emergency Unit and all the ward staff at the Gozo Hospital helped us recover swiftly bringing us back to full health.
Abigail Borg
Feb 7th, 18:31
S/Sgt Mark Cassar, S/Sgt Derek Pepe, & Sgt Carmel J Psaila: For hours we had known that our only way home was by helicopter. When you brought the Alouette down so close to the cliffs and rough seas to get us out of there it looked like a steel angle descending from the sky. The graceful execution of your mission is the reason I am here typing this message today.
Abigail Borg
Feb 7th, 18:28
Sgt Jonathan Vella and Sgt Lucian Gatt: You came over those cliffs flashing your lights at us, signalling that you could see us; the hope and comfort that you brought to us warmed our hearts at the coldest moment of our life.
joanne pace
Feb 7th, 18:15
Prosit Armed Forces, very brave indeed.
john muscat
Feb 7th, 16:49
An excellent and efficient AFM personnel who deserve all the praise available! Good work, Proset.
Franco Attard Trevisan
Feb 7th, 16:22
Excellent job boys! well done and thank you!
Paul Barrett
Feb 7th, 15:54
Well done to all concerned
Joseph Galea
Feb 7th, 15:43
Well done to all involved. You should be proud for such a heroic deed.....and all Maltese should be proud to have such daring citizens.
Martin Cole
Feb 7th, 15:26
Inspiring and heroic putting your lives at risk to save the lives of others, well done gentlemen.
John 15:13
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
May G_D continue to bless you AFM
franziska körner
Feb 7th, 15:22
thank you folks for rescue my friend!!!! :)
i´m proud of you!!!!!!!!!!!
John Caruana
Feb 7th, 15:21
Veru haqkom kull gieh tal--AFM ghaliex issograjtu hajjhitkom ghhall haddiehoir u ghollejtu isem Malta. Prosit u grazzi.
Asta Peterson
Feb 7th, 15:12
Good on you chaps. Malta need people as yourselves, you done your country proud.Its not the silly Eurovision that puts Malta on the map, but Professionals people The AFM and your courage. that's what Malta needs, & not cheap so called music. The video above speaks for itself. Congratulations guys.
JR Apap
Feb 7th, 15:27
Thankyou for the lovely & encouraging comment Mrs.Peterson, very nice of you to command our country, as for the Silly Euro Vision, yes i agree totally, although it costed the organizers (Not the Maltese tax payers thank God) some 200,000€+ Malta would do better to focus & the courage of the people serving with the AFM.
Asta Peterson
Feb 7th, 15:07
Good on you chaps. Malta need people as yourselves, you done your country proud.
John J Borg
Feb 7th, 15:03
Thumbs up guys! You make us proud again and again and again........
Alfred Falzon
Feb 7th, 14:45
Malta is proud of you!
A daring operation that stands second to none!
The footage and accompanying music say it all!
Alfred A Falzon
Joseph Sultana
Feb 7th, 14:41
A big well done to the AFM....
Joseph S.
Feb 7th, 14:39
A biq well done to the AFM
J. Vella
Feb 7th, 14:26
A very well done to the police who spotted the divers and stayed their till they were saved, to the civil protection who assisted and stayed their till the last , and well done to the AFM pilot and rescuers and crew which the three corps together coordinated and saved the life of these two divers!
Phyllis Grima
Feb 7th, 14:23
Prosit AFM. Haqqkom kull tifhir. Kburija li jien Maltija. God bless you.
R. Azzopardi
Feb 7th, 14:19
Real heroes who rarely get mentioned. Bravi!
L Zammit
Feb 7th, 14:07
Well done to the AFM rescue team. May God be always with you.
Mr Alan Zahra
Feb 7th, 14:00
Well done folks, really professional rescue mission. Thumbs up
Christian Falzon
Feb 7th, 13:56
Well done we are proud of you !!!!
Manuel Briffa
Feb 7th, 13:47
Thank God both divers are safe and sound and a huge THANK YOU to the valiant rescuers. Some may say they were just doing their job, but risking one's own life to save others is not a job, it's a noble mission. Well done lads. Having said that, if there was recklessness on the divers' part, they should at least be made to foot the bill eventually. It's only fair I think.
A. Schembri
Feb 7th, 13:59
Fully agree!
Sylvana Camilleri
Feb 7th, 13:32
A big well done to the Armed Forces of Malta. You risked your lives to save others.
John Dalton
Feb 7th, 13:29
Congratulations to the AFM, These two divers owe their lives to Your Organisation. For diving in those conditions and at that time of day they should be made to pay for this rescue operation. Once again Well Done to the AFM.
E Gauci
Feb 7th, 13:29
Well done
Ronnie Callus
Feb 7th, 13:26
Well done to the AFM especially to these rescuers team. Very good job with determination. Where there is a will there is a goal.May the divers get well too.
James Tyrrell
Feb 7th, 13:21
Very well done to the AFM for saving the lives of these two divers. Just think how much easier the job in locating them would have been if they had been wearing strobe location lights on their equipment!
Jan Haut
Feb 7th, 13:20
Well done AFM.
James Dewar
Feb 7th, 13:18
Highly commendable and committed rescue effort by the AFM team and well worthy of recognition. By any standards a superb response and result in difficult circumstances.
Karl Gollcher
Feb 7th, 13:16
Well done boys. Admirable.
Charles Vassallo
Feb 7th, 13:16
It is reassuring to know that we have a very professional and dedicated SAR within the AFM. Well done to all involved, you have saved, and continue to save the lives of many.
A mandatory law should be passed by our Health and Safety Authorities for all divers, be they scuba or snorkelling enthusiasts - to carry a Personal Distress Beacon (PDB) when practicing this sport. It would immensely help.
D. A . Agius
Feb 7th, 15:15
In this case I think the simpler safety procedure that they could have followed was to have someone on shore who knows what time they are due back and raise the alarm at a more appropriate time.
A very simple idea: Safety board, marking on it Number of divers / time of entry/expected exit and emergency contact number (just in case they forget to rub themselves off it)
Michael Bugeja
Feb 7th, 13:15
Vera proset hakkhom f-gieh ir-republika, proset ghan nom tal maltin kollha, thanks a million for saving lives. kburi li jien malti
Tim Vella
Feb 7th, 13:13
Once again, BRAVO AFM!
David Borg
Feb 7th, 13:11
Congratulations. Fantastic job indeed.
Joseph Cini
Feb 7th, 13:11
WELL DONE ONCE AGAIN TO THE AFM FOR THE GOOD WORK THEY DO. THUMBS UP ESPECIALLY FOR THESE TWO BRAVE RESCUERS WHO EVEN RISKED THEIR LIVES TO SAVE OTHERS.
St John Ambulance
Feb 7th, 13:04
Well done. Thanks and praise must be given to the rescuers for putting lifes at risk to save others.
J Tabone
Feb 7th, 12:59
Prosit AFM! You do us proud!
Andrew Bezzina
Feb 7th, 12:58
Congrats to the AFM on this successful rescue mission, in such difficult conditions
Maria Xuereb
Feb 7th, 12:52
Proset lill Crew kollu tal-kuragg, d-dedikazzjoni u l-qlubija li wrejtu f'din l-operazzjoni tant diffiklutuza. Malta hija kburija b'nies bhalkom.
Peter Zahra
Feb 7th, 12:50
Prosit tassew lil AFM !!
Dunstan Crockford
Feb 7th, 12:47
God Bless the AFM rescue teams! They and the CPD have been doing excellent work and should be highly commended.A Gieh Ir Republica Medal for both Corps would not be amiss!
A. Zammit
Feb 7th, 12:42
These guys make Malta proud. Prosit to all concerned.
Victor Rodenas
Feb 7th, 12:41
Prosit to these courageous men.
Mario Camilleri
Feb 7th, 12:40
No words can be enough for the heroes that work within the civil protection, AFM and police force who save lives to all those in need!!!
T Mifsud
Feb 7th, 12:37
ABSOLUTE HEROES! WELL DONE TO ALL CREW!!
Mr Victor G Mercieca
Feb 7th, 12:34
AFM should also invest in GoPro HD real time action cams mounted stragically in the helicopter....since they are interested to record these rescues, not just for public exposure, but more so to use them as instructional & debriefing videos!
S. Bonello
Feb 7th, 12:30
Congratulations to the rescue team who risk their lives for people they do not know.
What i do not understand is why these divers go to places where they put their lives in danger. Couldn't they have found sheltered areas?
Stephen Camilleri
Feb 7th, 12:28
Well done,what professionalism.
bryan sullivan
Feb 7th, 12:27
big well done to all concerned in the rescue !!!
bryan sullivan
Feb 7th, 12:27
big well done to all concerned in the rescue !!!
David Borg
Feb 7th, 12:22
Wow... Lets invest in our forces they are truly demonstrating they are worth every penny.
James Dewar
Feb 7th, 12:13
Highly commendable and committed effort on the part of the rescue crew and most worthy of recognition for their perseverance and skill. By any standards a superb response and result.
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