Labour MP Marlene Farrugia getting stranded on a rock near Ġnejna Bay last week has highlighted the need for a designated nudist spot, according to a naturist lobby group.

Ms Farrugia raised a few eyebrows last week after needing to be rescued by the civil protection department from a spit of rock a few metres from the Ġnejna shoreline.

The backbencher had found herself between a rock and a swarm of jelly fish after opting to swim the two-kilometre stretch from Ġnejna to Għajn Tuffieħa during a country walk with her son.

In a letter to Ms Farrugia the group, Legalize Nudist Beaches and Topless Bathing in Malta, expressed its concern that nudists face similar perils when trying to access unofficial naturist spots in Malta.

“Due to a lack of personal freedom, naturists in Malta are forced to use spots which are difficult to access. Many people have hurt themselves accessing these places including some serious incidents,” the letter said in a direct reference to a rescue operation in Ġnejna last year.

In the incident, last July, an Italian bather was airlifted after trying to access the popular nudist spot at the foot of the Għajn Tuffieħa clay cliffs.

The letter, which was also sent to other MPs, urged the government to regularise nudism and provide safe bathing spots.

“Non-sexual naturism is perfectly fine in all Europe and most of the world. We should not remain a backward thinking country and we urge the government to be truly liberal,” it said.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.