A water sports operator and his employee has been ordered to pay €34,730 to a man who suffered facial injuries when he was thrown off an inflatable water sausage towed by a speedboat in Għadira Bay.

The incident happened in July 2010.

The victim, Edward Farrugia Wismayer, had sued the operator, Ronald Agius, and the driver of the speedboat Brian Dingli, holding them responsible for the incident.

He successfully argued that the speedboat was driven at excessive speed and conducted erratic manoeuvres which caused the ‘sausage’ to topple, throwing a number of language students into the water..

Mr Farrugia Wismayer, who was a student leader, was injured when he hit the head of a student as they both fell into the sea.

He subsequently needed surgeries to his face.

Mr Justice Grazio Mercieca dismissed claims by the accused that Mr Farrugia Wismayer was responsible for the incident by having dragged his feet in the water, causing the sausage to overturn.

The court said it believed the version of a passenger on board the speedboat who had observed what had happened.

The court also observed that the speedboat driver, Brian Dingli, had not been given proper training and at the time of the incident, the service provider (Costa del Sol Company Limited) had its licence suspended because it had not been renewed. It was renewed some days later.