10 years ago - The Times

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Migrants’ boat capsizes: two infants in hospital, woman, presumably the mother, dies

Two infants, both less than a year old, were airlifted to hospital yesterday afternoon and a woman died after a boat carrying 31 illegal immigrants capsized about 72 miles off Malta.

Last night one of the infants was stable while the other was in intensive care. A patrol boat monitoring the northward progress of the boat immediately reported the incident when the migrants were sighted in the water. The infants swallowed a considerable amount of seawater, the Armed Forces of Malta reported. A helicopter was deployed and flew them to hospital.

Meanwhile, a German Border Police helicopter was dispatched to the scene after reports of an unconscious woman among the migrants reached the authorities.The woman died before the arrival of the helicopter, which is participating in Frontex operations and, as such, is temporarily based in Malta.

The dead woman might be the mother of the two children as none of the migrants answered when asked if they were related to the toddlers. The group – excluding the casualties – consisted of 20 men and eight women who were wearing life jackets. They were brought ashore at Hay Wharf, Pietà, last night.

25 years ago - The Times

Friday, September 10, 1993

Man, 35, charged with murdering his wife

Grazio Gerada, a 35-year-old accountant from Marsaxlokk, was last night arraigned in court and charged with murdering his wife.

Gerada pleaded not guilty to the charge of stabbing her to death with a knife.

Mrs Diane Gerada, 32, was found in a pool of blood at her home in Marsaxlokk early yesterday morning. Her eldest daughter had phoned her grandparents who then contacted the police.

Diane was the mother of four children, including twins, and worked as a warden in the civil prisons.

Gerada was also charged with possessing a knife without having a police licence.

The court turned down an appeal by the defence counsel to have Gerada imprisoned in the Valletta police station cells instead of the civil prisons.

The defence made the request because Mrs Gerada had been a warden and it would be “unwise” to keep the defendant in the prisons.

The prosecution opposed this claiming that all prisoners should be treated equally.

Mrs Gerada had not worked in the prisoners’ section, the prosecution said.

The court ruled that defendant could file an application if he felt that being kept in the prisons was detrimental to him.

50 years ago - Times of Malta

Tuesday, September 10, 1968

Girl’s tragic death

Thirteen-year-old Louise Caruana Curran, daughter of Mr Justice and Mrs Maurice Caruana Curran, died last night at the Blue Sisters Hospital.

She was admitted there yesterday evening suffering from concussion after she had fallen off a bicycle at St Paul’s Bay.

Gozo ferry service: call for better berthing facilities

The owners of the Gozo ferry Jylland, Messrs E. Zammit, blame the inadequacy of berthing facilities in both Malta and Gozo for the frequent interruption of services between the two islands.

At Mġarr, Gozo the quay is usually crowded with other craft which make handling of a ship the size of the Jylland a difficult operation.

First step to missionary field

Miss Mary Rose Camilleri and Miss Frances Camilleri, members of the Sodality of Our Lady and the Catholic Action respectively, will be leaving on September 21 for Cremona, Italy, to take a three-month refresher course in teaching and nursing.

After the course, they will go to Kenya to take up missionary work for three years

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