The swimming zone at Fekruna Bay, in Xemxija, may be extended by the Transport Authority, which is considering moving the boundary buoys further out.

St Paul’s Bay residents had complained to this newspaper that the buoys marking the swimming zone in the popular spot had been moved, resulting in a smaller area for swimmers.

They pointed their fingers at owners of boats moored there, accusing them of doing so to have the vessels closer to shore.

However, when contacted about the matter, a spokesman for Transport Malta said that the swimming zone at Fekruna was in line with the specifications in the notice to mariners issued by the regulator.

“Last year’s contractor had placed the boundary buoys further out. Transport Malta will review the position of the zone and explore the possibility of extending it further,” the spokesman told the Times of Malta.

Sliema residents had made similar complaints last year when it emerged that swimming zones at Tigné and Exiles had been drastically reduced despite no decision in that sense having been made by the transport authority.

At the time, a spokesman for transport watchdog had said that the regulator would be making sure that all swimming zones were in line with the specifications contained in the notice to marines.