Anthony and Grace Nisbet pictured before the accident.

There was no negligence in the incident which led to a parachute cord attached to a winch boat to snap with two suspended paragliders dangling on, the water sports operator insisted.

Godfrey Bartolo, one of the directors of Oh Yeah Cruises and Water Sports, told The Sunday Times of Malta that in the 28 years he has spent in the business, he had never witnessed a similar event.

Mr Bartolo was in his boat together with employee Terry McKenna and five other clients, pulling the two youths across Mellieħa Bay, when a strong gust of wind enveloped them, blowing them off course and ultimately leading to the cord to snap.

“I had seen some clouds in the far distance but never did I think that a waterspout was coming our way,” Mr Bartolo said.

“I never fly people when the wind is over Force 6. I’ve lost count of the number of times where I would gauge the wind to be right, only for it to pick up by the time we got to the middle of the bay. I immediately tell my clients that I’ll give them a refund but I won’t risk launching them off in a high wind.”

I turned to Terry and told him we needed to pull them down. But it was too late

The wind force stood at Force 2-3 when Mr Bartolo headed to the centre of the bay together with his seven clients. From there, he had already launched a previous pair, who had safely spent 12 minutes in the air, before hoisting them down and turning to Anthony and Grace Lisbet.

The pair had already been in the air for some three minutes before the waterspout swept around them.

“The waterspout came from behind St Paul’s Islands – we didn’t see it coming. Once I realised, I turned to Terry and told him that we needed to pull them down. But it was too late. It happened within a fraction of a second.”

Flooding at Ta' Xbiex.

A water spout was visable from many parts of the island. Photo: Antonio Tufigno

The boat was dragged off course into the bay, with Mr Bartolo attempting to manoeuvre around the buoyed boats. The boat beached ashore and all attention was directed towards the two youths suspended 100 metres above land.

“We tried to pull them down but the gust was too powerful. I was hoping they would remain suspended for a further three minutes – such a gust is generally over quickly and we would be able to safely pull them down.

“Unfortunately the cord stretched itself taut and snapped.”

The company made use of a new cord every summer season, Mr Bartolo added.

“The parachute is designed to drop down gently. Other water sports companies in Malta who don’t own a winch boat release their clients by letting loose the cord and allowing them to drop into the sea.

“Terry rushed towards them. The boy told him: ‘I hope it’s on video so that I can show it to my friends.’”