A 72-year-old man died yesterday after falling 24 metres down a well in Mellieħa as he was using cracks in the rock as hand-holds.

Cristinu Borg, from Mellieħa, was climbing down the nearly eight-storey high shaft to check a water pump that was not working properly, police sources said.

As he was making his way down without a ladder, using cracks in the rock-cut wall of the shaft, he slipped and fell to the bottom, hitting his head.

His wife heard him fall and immediately contacted the police.

The rescue team found it hard to bring Mr Borg back up because the shaft was not big enough for more than one person to go down at a time. A rope was eventually tied around Mr Borg and the entire team – made up of civil protection personnel and medics – pulled him up.

He was administered cardiac massage for about 25 minutes before he was declared dead on site. A magisterial inquiry and police investigation are under way.