Somali man reported ‘missing’ had died in hospital, police confirm

A 'missing' Somali man for which a public call for information was issued on Monday had died at Mater Dei Hospital a few days earlier, the police have confirmed.

The 39-year-old man, Ahmed Adawe Diriye, was seriously injured last week when he fell more than a storey at his place of work. It appears that Diriye remained unidentified and according to nurses who spoke to MaltaToday was referred to as Mr X in hospital where he was receiving treatment.

Hospital sources said Diriye died a couple of days ago in the ward where he was being treated. It was nurses who treated the man who identified him from the photo disseminated by the police earlier on Monday.

The police had issued a missing persons notice asking people to provide information on Diriye's whereabouts. He was last seen on 20 December in Birżebbuġa, where he lives.

A relative of his had contacted MaltaToday to flag Diriye’s disappearance. He used to be in daily contact with his family in Somalia, but communication with them came to an abrupt halt last Tuesday.

A formal missing person’s report was filed with the police on Christmas day by Diriye's flat mates and his relative, who lives in Turkey.

However, after Diriye's photo appeared on news portals and social media, nurses believed the person to have been the patient they knew as Mr X.

The police subsequently confirmed the man's identity and that Diriye had died after succumbing to his injuries at Mater Dei Hospital.

No information was given as to why Diriye's identity had not been established after the accident, which had been flagged in a police media release. A magisterial inquiry is underway on the workplace accident.