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local
news
Toddler
dies in Regatta Day tragedy
Authorities
slammed as volunteers do their best to help
By
Nadine Brincat
A toddler died and his teenage mother is fighting for her life after
the car they were in plunged into the sea off Xatt ir-Risq, in Vittoriosa
yesterday afternoon, where they were watching the traditional boat
races for the Freedom Day regatta.
The tragedy let to the regatta being called off after only six of
the 10 races had been staged.
Josanne Cesare, aged 19, and her son Jean Luke, aged 20 months,
were parked in a blue Anglia at 3pm, when the car began moving towards
the sea.
A crowd of onlookers who jumped into the sea to try to get the mother
and son out of the car were rushed to hospital along with the victims
for treatment. The boy died shortly after arriving at St Luke's,
while his mother is being treated in the Intensive Therapy Unit.
The depth of the sea where the car plunged - Dockyard creek - is
around 28 feet deep and the water, known to be muddy and murky hampered
rescue attempts.
There were also reports that the two patrol boats docked in the
harbour had no acqua lungs, goggles, or flippers, to deal with such
an accident.
An Armed Forces of Malta patrol boat arrived on site approximately
10 minutes after the incident. The woman was unconscious when she
was removed from the car by an AFM patrol boat member, observed
by her inconsolable husband.
She was given first aid and respiration by members of the St John's
ambulance, before being rushed to Paola Polyclinic and then to the
ITU.
One of the members of the voluntary organisation told MaltaToday
that the woman had responded briefly to the first aid that she was
being given and that he was hopeful that she would recover. He also
said that the incident created much confusion in the area, and some
people unintentionally obstructed the members of the St John's ambulance.
Medical sources said Jean Luke was immediately reported to be in
a worse condition than his mother. First aid administered to the
toddler on the spot, did not have the effect rescuers hoped, and
he was rushed to St Luke's by one of the ambulances. He was certified
dead two hours after his arrival.
A number of the hundreds of people who witnessed the tragic accidents
had words of anger for the authorities, saying that they did not
act quickly enough and were not appropriately equipped to deal with
such an accident.
One of the volunteers, Mario Vella, aged 45, from Fgura, described
how he dashed a 300 metre distance, and jumped into the cold sea
in an attempt to help.
"I touched the boy's hand, but could not get him out of the
car," he said. "As the car went down, the mother tried
to put her son into the arms of rescuers, by pushing him out of
the car window. However, the driver's door opened, water got into
the car, so that it plunged down straightaway."
AFM skipper Mario Cauchi's help proved to be crucial, as he jumped
into the sea armed with a sledge hammer, with which he broke the
car's window and brought mother and son to the surface.
Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrrera ordered an on-site inquiry.
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