Updated 2.45pm with geologist's comments

A nine-year-old girl was critically injured this morning after rocks fell onto her while she was swimming in the Veċċja area of St Paul's Bay. 

Eyewitnesses said parts of a cave collapsed as the girl was swimming inside it. Another girl also swimming close by missed being buried by mere inches and escaped with some scratches.  

Sources said the girl has multiple skull fractures. She underwent a lengthy operation, after which her condition was still described as critical.   

The young victim's grandmother was also in the water at the time. She told onlookers that she found her granddaughter in the water face-down and had to pluck her out of the water.

They were also assisted by two workers in a nearby restaurant.

One of them reported that he found the girl underwater, unconscious and bleeding. He pulled her up to shore and gave her first aid. 

A doctor in the vicinity cared for the girl until paramedics and Civil Protection Department members arrived. She was rushed to Mater Dei hospital, with sources saying she is in intensive care. The other girl who was scratched by falling rocks was also taken to hospital as a precautionary measure. 

Four young boys were also splashing in the cave minutes before the collapse, eyewitnesses said, but left to play elsewhere with minutes to spare.

Residents in the area said that they have been warning authorities about cracks in the cave for several years.  

I never understood why the authorities allowed a block of apartments to be built right on top of it

“It’s no surprise that this happened, the cliff looks unstable, I never understood why the authorities allowed a block of apartments to be built right on top of it,” a woman who frequents the area said.

“If this happened a few weeks ago or even last weekend, people would probably have died,” another witness who also lived close by said. 

The overlying property reportedly belongs to Labour MP Silvio Parnis, who was on the scene of the incident soon after it happened. 

St Paul's Bay mayor Graziella Galea told media that the council was calling on authorities to close off access to the area, "to prevent further accidents like today's."  

'Accident could have been avoided,' geologist says

Geologist Peter Gatt said the coves along St Paul's Bay are the result of rock failure of very weak rock relative to the rest of the coast. This marks the difference between lower globigerina and middle globigerina limestone. The lower globigerina limestone fails rapidly when exposed to sea wave action.

"This is another tragic accident which could have been avoided if sea cliffs prone to failure - especially in St Paul's Bay, Delimara and Tigne - are identified and warning signs placed," said Dr Gatt, who recently expressed concern over a tower being built over caves at Tigne Point. 

Know something about this incident that's worth sharing? Get in touch at mynews@timesofmalta.com

 

The scene of the accident.The scene of the accident.

 

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