WATCH | Two nighttime spearfishermen hit enforcement officer with car

Last week, two night time spearfisherman hit an Enforcement Officer with a car, footage captured by the Malta Ranger Unit (MRU) shows.

During a coastal night patrol, Rangers encountered two individuals with spearguns entering the sea near the remote Wied Xaqqa in Birżebbuġa.

The Fisheries Department was alerted and two officers arrived on site soon after, who approached the pair as they were entering a vehicle.

After arguing loudly with the officers, one of the men grabbed the confiscated speargun from the officer’s hand and placed it in his vehicle. 

The driver attempted to drive around the officer. Realising he would not manage, he instead steered directly towards the officer and hit him with the car before fleeing the scene.

The officer sustained no injuries.

Rangers accompanied officers to the Birżebbuġa police station to file a report.

The accused claimed they had done “research,” however, the rangers had evidence of them using a speargun, while the officers located the said speargun hidden beside a rock.

In Malta, spearfishing is only legal during daylight hours with a license, it is strictly prohibited at night. Violators may face heavy fines and equipment confiscation from the Malta Range Unit and Fisheries Department.

In addition to fines, the accused will be charged in court and risks facing criminal charges for hitting a public officer and obstruction of justice.