A man who disappeared from his home in Victoria, 11 years ago was to be presumed dead and his heirs at law could take possession of his estate, the Gozo courts ruled today.

Magistrate Josette Demicoli delivered this judgment following an application filed by the heirs of Joseph Attard.

The court heard that on February 17, 2002, 41-year-old Joseph Attard left the home where he lived with his father and never returned.

No one heard from him since that date and it did not result that he could have left the country as his travel documents were still at home.

The heirs added that despite intensive searches carried out by the authorities in Gozo and at sea, Mr Attard's body had never been found.

Magistrate Demicoli said that this was an action based upon the Civil Code which provided that a person who had been missing for 10 continuous years could be presumed to be dead.