The 81-year-old man who was thrown overboard when his small fishing boat was involved in a collision with a motor sailing boat on Monday died of “asphyxia due to drowning”, according to the autopsy.

The Armed Forces of Malta had initially said Joseph Gatt from Sliema died of cardiac arrest.

Transport Minister Austin Gatt has also ordered an inquiry into the accident that occurred off Tigné Point. Lawyer George Said was appointed to head the investigation in line with the Merchant Shipping Act. This is apart from the inquiry launched by Magistrate Edwina Grima.

Mr Gatt’s boat was crushed and sank in the collision with the Maltese-registered sailing boat, Sorcery, belonging to John Zarb from Naxxar.

The Oyster-53 class yacht was released from the army’s maritime base by the court expert on the same day of the incident.

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