The first eight months of the year were marred by more tragic deaths than in the same period in 2008, with the number of suicides almost doubling to 22.
Official figures confirm that 59 people died tragically in 56 incidents this year; nine people and 10 incidents more than in the first eight months last year.
Deaths in traffic accidents rose to 13 from eight in the corresponding period last year.
Three of the victims died in the same traffic accident. Jonathan Seychell, 21, Roxanna D'Anastasi, 20, and their daughter Kelcy, four, who were in the same car, were crushed between a wall and a water bowser in Anton Buttigieg Street, Żejtun, in what was probably the most shocking tragedy of the year.
The number of murders by one to three: Gaetano Romano, 20, Marie Therese Vella, 61, and Catherine Agius, 40. Of the three, only the first, which took place in Damascus Street, Buġibba, remains unsolved.
Mr Romano was discovered with nails hammered in his skull in the oven of his father's workshop in Buġibba.
Ms Vella was allegedly murdered by her daughter's former boyfriend Clive Farrugia, 24, in St Lazarus Street, Cospicua while the police are claiming in court that Ms Agius was stabbed by her estranged husband Roger Agius, 47, in Neolithic Temples Street, Tarxien. Both fatalities were sparked off by domestic disputes.
Other deaths - the result of fires, occupational accidents and falls - dropped to 19 from 27.
There was also one undetermined death - there were none last year - that of Maxim Vorobyev, 16, whose decomposed body was found floating next to the Valletta fish market almost two weeks after his family reported him missing. An autopsy established he had drowned.
There was one overdose, the same as last year. Kelly Micallef, 26, was found lying dead on her bed in Is-Sebuqa Street, San Ġwann, with drug paraphernalia close to her.
On a monthly basis, the number of deaths dropped to five from seven in January; to six from eight in March and to six from 11 in July. They rose to six from four in February; to 12 from four in May; to six from two in June and to 10 from six in August. April remained unchanged with eight tragic deaths being recorded.
kbugeja@timesofmalta.com