The 29-year-old woman who drove off the Ta’ Xbiex yacht marina and into the sea on May 4 remains in critical condition within the hospital’s intensive therapy unit, police have said.

The Birkirkara woman spent some 30 minutes trapped in her sinking Toyota Vitz after the car charged headlong into the sea just before 7am, just over a week ago. The circumstances that led to the incident remain unknown.

The woman had just dropped off her 40-year-old Turkish partner at one of the yachts where he works.

Witnesses had said they heard the man desperately shout out her name, Michelle, as he jumped into the sea to try to save her.

Later, two policemen borrowed dive masks from neighbouring boats, and swam out to help. But they did not manage to reach the woman as her car had drifted about 15 metres from the quay.

Then, out of nowhere, a diver appeared in a “little white boat” and managed to free the woman from her car, the witnesses said.