A 43-year-old British tourist has drowned at the Blue Lagoon in Comino, Malta, after using a slide from a pleasure boat into the sea. The incident occurred at around 1:30pm on Tuesday, when the man entered the turquoise waters but soon found himself in difficulty.
Holidaymakers spotted him submerged and pulled him to the surface, where they began CPR. Volunteer first-aiders from Malta’s Emergency Response and Rescue Corps rushed to the scene and transported him to Mgarr Harbour in Gozo. Paramedics treated him, but he was pronounced dead on arrival at Victoria Hospital.
Magistrate Brigitte Sultana has launched an inquiry into the tragedy, according to a police spokesperson. The man is the 13th person recorded as drowning in Malta this year and the third in Comino, a popular tourist destination.
Previous fatalities in Comino include a 35-year-old Italian man who died last month after getting into difficulty at the Blue Lagoon, and a 71-year-old fisherman whose body was found in April. In July, a Spanish tourist died after being hit by a propeller while boarding a boat in Comino.
The Blue Lagoon, one of Malta's biggest attractions, has long been subject to safety concerns. The website warns that currents can be strong and advises checking flags and listening to lifeguards. A rehabilitation project announced earlier this month aims to enlarge the swimming area by around 5,600 square metres, remove shoreline kiosks, and relocate boat docking zones to ensure safe distances from swimmers.
