Home Affairs Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici has thanked rescuers of the Civil Protection Department who were deployed at the Seabank Hotel yesterday and overnight after the collapse of a nightclub and underlying carpark while they were under construction.

Dr Mifsud Bonnici also expressed his condolences for the death of a Latvian worker on the site. He appeared to have died from head injuries when the collapse took place.

The minister said the rescuers had shown dedication and personal sacrifice in a delicate and dangerous operation during which they had to dig through five metres of compressed material - including concrete from two roofs - before they could reach the unfortunate worker early this morning.

This was an example, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said, how the training given to these rescuers in Malta and abroad had paid off.

The minister thanked the members of the Hal Far and Xemxija stations, department officers, volunteers and members of the Specialised Personnel in Disaster Emergency Response (Spider), the volunteers of the K-9 dog team, the Emergency Fire and Rescue Unit and the Red Cross, as well as St John rescue Corps, which was on standby.

He noted that the Civil Protection Department remained ready to provide its full service wherever it was needed despite this incident.