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A Briton was seriously injured early this afternoon when a large rock dislodged itself and fell on him while he was rock climbing near Hagar Qim.

The man, Russel Clay, who was with two other men, was rescued by an AFM Air Wing rescuer and flown to Mater Dei Hospital by an Italian Military Mission helicopter.

The AFM said the man's safety rope proved to be a life saver after he received a severe head injury that left him semi-conscious and bleeding profusely.

The operation was a difficult one, requiring particular skill from the pilot who had to hover close to the rock face, at times a metre away from the rotor, with the rescuer still attached to the helicopter's winch cable.

The helicopter was scrambled to the scene after information given to the AFM by hospital staff. The on-scene operation was over in five minutes.

The helicopter was crewed by a joint Italo-Maltese flight crew led by Italian Air Force Captain Andrea Cattini assisted by AFM Air Wing co-pilot Sgt Reuben Demicoli.

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