[WATCH] Ajay Shrestha identified as food courier who died in Marsa truck accident

Ajay Shrestha is the 28-year-old man who died after being hit by a pole in a Marsa traffic accident

28-year-old Ajay Shrestha was hit by a pole in Marsa after a truck overturned (Photo inset by James Bianchi/MaltaToday)
28-year-old Ajay Shrestha was hit by a pole in Marsa after a truck overturned (Photo inset by James Bianchi/MaltaToday)

The 28-year-old victim of a Marsa traffic accident has been identified as Ajay Shrestha, a Nepalese man who was working as a food delivery courier.

Shrestha died in Marsa after a truck carrying scrap metal hit an electricity pole and overturned on Wednesday morning. The Nepalese motorcyclist was hit by the pole and died at Mater Dei hospital.

He had just turned 28 years old when the accident happened. One person described him on Facebook as an avid cricket player and coach.

"Rest in peace Ajay. Gonna miss you brother," they wrote.

Police said the accident occurred at 11:30am in Aldo Moro street. From its preliminary investigations, it results that a DAF truck driven by a 56-year-old man from Bormla, hit the central strip and overturned.

Scrap metal that the truck was carrying spilt onto the opposite lane damaging a Hyundai i20, driven by a 39-year-old from Moldova and an Audi A1 driven by a 52-year-old from Swieqi.

Members of the Civil Protection Department and a medical team assisted the motorcyclist on the spot. He was taken to Mater Dei hospital in an ambulance but he was certified dead moments later. No one else was injured.

Part of the road has been closed off to traffic, causing delays to motorists passing through the area.

The truck was on the outermost lane of the northbound carriageway. Photos show that the truck mounted the centre strip and overturned onto the southbound carriageway, spilling the scrap metal onto oncoming vehicles.

Magistrate Astrid May Grima is leading an inquiry and police investigations are ongoing.

Part of Aldo Moro closed for traffic, IM suggests alternative routes

Infrastructure Malta said that due to this accident, part of Aldo Moro Street was closed for traffic.

“Avoid this road when travelling to/from southern Malta. Use alternative routes through Qormi and Luqa. We are working with Transport Malta, The Malta Police Force and other entities to clear and reopen the road as soon as possible,” IM said.