10 years ago - The Times

Monday, March 9, 2009

Missing Russian boy meets tragic end

Hopes that missing Russian boy Maxim Vorobyev would be found alive were crushed when his heartbroken foster family identified his watch and key found on a corpse recovered from the sea yesterday morning.

Police sources said investigators were not considering foul play or suicide in the death of the 16-year-old, who had gone missing on February 25. The body was spotted bobbing up and down in the sea on the Valletta side of the Grand Harbour by a resident, who alerted the police at around 6.45am. It was later retrieved by army divers.

Officially, the police would only say that a badly decomposed body was recovered from the sea near the fish market, pending the result of an autopsy to be carried out today. But Maxim’s devastated family have resigned themselves that the corpse is that of their loved one – a Russian orphan who was fostered by Valletta residents Grace and Albert Pace and reunited in Malta with his long-lost brother and sister, also fostered here.

According to a family member, the police took a Casio watch and a key attached to a distinctive keychain – of a red footprint – for the family to identify, destroying the hope they had been clinging to for Maxim’s safe return.

25 years ago - The Times

Sunday, March 9, 1994

Mosta Technopark firm wins Lm3m deal

A firm in Mosta has won a Lm3 million computer outsourcing deal over the next five years.

Computer Outsourcing Services Limited of the Mosta Technopark will be hosting Athen’s Autofile-AFOS ferry operating system from their data centre, providing online data processing capability globally via satellite.

The fully integrated system provides for confirmations, ticketing and berth reservations, among other services.

Company chairman Frank J. McGrath told The Times the company was expecting a turnover in excess of Lm30 million by the end of next year.

Żejtun elderly home to be run privately

The government yesterday signed an agreement with Health Care Services Ltd, which will run the home for the elderly in Żejtun.

Health Care Services Ltd will be engaging workers seconded from government departments to work at the home, which will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister on Sunday, the Parliamentary Secretary for the Care of the Elderly, Dr Antoine Mifsud Bonnici said.

Half a century ago - Sunday Times of Malta

Sunday, March 9, 1969

Car explosion kills Maltese-Australian

A Maltese-Australian, Manwel Micallef, 32, who was here on a three-month honeymoon and extended his holiday, died tragically yesterday morning in a car explosion at Cospicua Road, Paola.

Micallef, who emigrated to Sydney 16 years ago, arrived in Malta with his wife about two months ago. They lived in a furnished flat in the same street – the car was parked almost in front of the flat. Luckily, his Australian wife Sandra, who was closing the main door when the incident occurred at about 10am, escaped unhurt.

The car blew up when Micallef, formerly of Marsa turned the ignition key. After the explosion, he was taken to Bighi Hospital but died on arrival there.

Micallef’s father, George, and his sister, Mrs Victoria Camilleri, live at Marsa.

The Police are investigating reports that a bomb had been planted in the engine.

Flying pieces from the car hit a passing Cospicua bus, injuring at least 13 of the 14 men and women passengers. Many of them were taken to hospital, with cuts and bruises.

The explosion, heard from as far away as Paola Hill and the lower part of Valletta Road, Paola, smashed balcony windows in the vicinity and cut electricity cables.

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