Joanne Azzopardi wanders by Cospicua’s Dock 1 every single day, gazing into the deep waters where her father’s body was recovered on Friday.

Anthony Azzopardi, 68 from Ħamrun, was found floating face down in the water. A post-mortem examination concluded that he died as a result of drowning and that there were no signs of foul play or violence on the body.

Ms Azzopardi is appealing for information or for anyone who might have seen him that day to come forward, even if anonymously.

“I just can’t accept it,” Ms Azzopardi, who buried her father yesterday, told Times of Malta in a choked voice.

“Not knowing what happened to him is killing me. I would have preferred it had they told me he died from a heart attack rather than from drowning. He was always terrified of water – I can’t believe he had to die from it.”

The only objects found on his person were house keys, a cigarette lighter and a tissue in his back pocket.

However, €300 were missing. She had last seen him the evening before, when he had come over to her house in Żabbar with €300 he had saved up to buy her a 42-inch TV set.

Not knowing what happened to him is killing me

“He was so generous. He had insisted on buying me a television set – we were going to go out on Friday. He didn’t use credit cards and always carried money on his person – even when he would have just cashed his pension cheque. I find it strange that the money wasn’t found on his body. Could it be that someone took it from him and pushed him into the water?”

Joanne Azzopardi with her father, Anthony.

The police had immediately recognised Mr Azzopardi as he worked as a car park attendant in the Valletta ditch known as the Yellow Garage.

Two teenagers had spotted his body in the water and had rushed to inform the police, who jumped into the water in an attempt to revive him.

The incident happened at around noon but Mr Azzopardi had not been dead for longer than 30 minutes, the autopsy revealed.

“He liked people, he liked bars and he liked his wine,” Ms Azzopardi said.

“I’m not excluding anything – maybe he was drinking and got drunk and then tripped into the water. I don’t know. But although he liked his wine, he never got drunk.

“Although he was one to keep his feelings to himself, he didn’t seem depressed either – I don’t think that he would have purposely jumped into the water.”

Ms Azzopardi was his only daughter and was very much spoiled by her father, she recalled with a smile.

Her five-year-old twin sons were even more so – Mr Azzopardi was always buying them toys, clothes and fruit.

Cospicua wasn’t a particular favourite of his – he generally preferred to hang out in Vittoriosa and Paola.

“The police are looking at any CCTV footage. I just want to know how he ended up in the water – maybe it would offer me some closure.”

Anyone who saw Mr Azzopardi on Friday or who has any information is asked to contact Ms Azzopardi on 77032444 or the police.