A military funeral is to be held on Wednesday for Gunner Matthew Psaila, who passed away early this morning after almost drowning at Chadwick Lakes last Friday, the AFM said. Funeral Mass will be said at 2 p.m. at St John of the Cross Parish Church, Ta' Xbiex, followed by interment at the servicemen's graves at the Addolorata Cemetery.
During a military funeral, the deceased is carried by army pall bearers. At the cemetery, the coffin is carried on a gun carriage and a salute is accorded.
A memorial service for Gunner Psaila was held this morning at Hal Far Barracks, home of 'C' Special Duties Company, in which he served. Those present included AFM commander Brigadier Carmel Vassallo and the Director of Defence, Vanessa Frazier. Flags at AFM headquarters and the various AFM barracks are flying at half mast.
Gunner Psaila, who would have been 20 next week, reportedly fell into the water and was submerged for some 10 minutes during a military exercise.
He was an enthusiastic member of 'C' Special Duties Company but his family told The Sunday Times yesterday that he could not swim.
The exercise consisted of teamwork, carrying logs and surmounting water and land obstacles. Psaila was carrying a 20kg backpack and his rifle when he fell into the water.
Serving in the army had been Matthew Psaila's life-long dream. He enlisted last March and took part in his pass-out parade in November. He volunteered to join 'C' Company and was undergoing infantryman's training.
The soldier was in intensive care throughout his period in hospital. An officer and members of his family were by his side. Members of his family have expressed appreciation for the presence, for many hours, of Brig Vassallo.
A magisterial inquiry and an internal AFM inquiry are in progress.
Matthew's brother Joseph, in a comment to this website (see below) on behalf of his parents expressed his appreciation for all the calls and messages they got from friends and family members.
"I would also like to show our appreciation for all the hard working and committed staff at the ITU who did all they could and more for my brother. May he rest in peace - he died doing that which he loved most in life, farewell and goodbye Matthew!"
Fatal accidents on active duty are rare. Some years ago an AFM sentry was killed as a result of the negligent discharge of a firearm by a colleague in Gozo.
In 1984 five soldiers and two policemen died when a quantity of firework exploded while it was being carried on a patrol boat to be dumped at sea.