The man left fighting for his life after a car bomb exploded in Marsaxlokk on Sunday afternoon was probably ejected from the vehicle by the blast and he remained conscious throughout the ordeal, his sister said.

Mireille Degabriele said her brother Darren Degabriele, 35, and his partner Stephanie Tonna, 28, had left Għaxaq 10 minutes earlier after dropping in on the village feast.

“She heard a loud noise and got out of the car – he was already on the ground. He was calling out and shouting in pain and she went to help him,” Ms Degabriele said.

“The car kept on rolling, hit a wall and caught fire.”

Ms Tonna, a qualified nurse, gave first aid to Mr Degabriele, who is still in critical condition in the hospital’s intensive care unit suffering from burns. Doctors yesterday afternoon operated on his knee, which was shattered. 

Ms Degabriele lashed out at 'lies' that her brother was involved in some sort of contraband and pointed out that he was the owner of a registered company - Degabriele Fuels Limited. She also denied reports that her brother was “known to the police”.

He had recently filed a police report that a man was constantly calling him but she did not know about what. “He isn’t a criminal – he would never hurt anyone.”

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