Arnold Sciberras, Jeffrey Sciberras and Alan Deidun write:
We are still unable to believe our colleague and great friend Patrick Vella has passed away in the prime of his life due to such an unfortunate accident.
People like Patrick will never be forgotten by his friends and loved ones because his character could not be compared to anything else. He was a shy, humble, good-hearted person and it was always a pleasure to be in his company.
Patrick, who was born in 1979, was a great naturalist and conservationist. He was always fascinated by the sea, so much so that he studied to become a marine biologist and his earnings were also connected to the sea. He was co-director of two companies – Salpasub and Watercolours diving centre. Hundreds of clients, including us, now owe our love to the sea thanks to him and his co-workers. He had an avantgarde and unique understanding of the subject. His drive and meticulous approach to research were second to none and he was an inspiration to anyone lucky enough to have worked with him.
A normal and ideal day for him was to spend one third of it underwater, working, studying and observing the marine natural world. In fact, in his own words: “I have been snorkelling around Delimara and St Thomas Bay since I can remember and grabbed instantaneously the first chance I had to try scuba diving. I fell so much in love with this sport that now I spend one third of my day underwater… it has become my second office! Once you are underwater, you can immediately start to observe marine life, notice the fascinating behaviour of marine organisms and learn to appreciate the diversity of nature.”
Patrick’s contributions to science were diverse, yet due to his humble nature he needed a push by his friends to publish something. Most authors owe their contributions and records to him. His Bachelor of Science thesis was promising – it featured the study of two local commercial fish, and his master’s work on Ichthyo-faunal assemblages associated with the artificial reefs, was the first of its kind locally. Since then, his observations have given rise to awareness of numerous new species in our waters.
What most people are unaware of is that Patrick showed an interest in all kinds of life and this led to several terrestrial projects both locally and abroad. With him we have several new published records and observations on wildlife and much more wait to be published.
He also had interesting projects and visions for the future and we spent lengthy hours discussing them and enjoying each other’s company, which we miss so much.
Above all, he was a true friend and an inspiration to future generations. He was a true marine conservationist and this should serve as a guideline to all divers who earn their daily bread from what they do.
Patrick leaves to mourn his loss his wife and his three children, relatives, friends and many colleagues. We have lost one of our best friends and a strong ally in the field of nature conservation. Last but not least, the marine world, to which Patrick dedicated so much time and effort, will also miss him dearly.
We hope this man’s works and motives do not die with him but remain an inspiration to all naturalists and humanity.