Body of tourist who died off Dwejra, returned to family

Polish tourist lost his life while taking photographs at Dwejra, in Gozo, when rough waves carried him into the sea.

The body of Jacek Malek, 33, a Polish tourist who lost his life earlier this month when he drowned in Gozo, will be on its way to his home country this afternoon.

Malek had travelled to Malta on his own, when on 3 March he went to Gozo with other people he had met on the plane. The fatal accident happened at around 2:35 pm when the Pole was taking photographs in Dwejra in the area known as 'tal-Kukkudrill' when he was suddenly carried away by the waves.

As soon as the alarm was raised, district police officers from the Victoria station and members of the Civil Protection Department were on site in less than 20 minutes, but Malek was nowhere to be seen. The inclement sea conditions made the search harder. The Armed Forces of Malta dispatched their Alouette III helicopter and the man's body was spotted adrift in the sea. Unconscious, Malek was rushed to the Gozo General Hospital but despite the medical team's attempts, he passed away.

As was expected, the autopsy that was performed at the Gozo General Hospital, confirmed that the death was caused by drowning.

Earlier this morning the body of Malek was taken to the Air Malta Cargo Section where it was put on Alitalia flight AZ887, which leaves Malta International Airport today at 2:50 pm, destination Fiumicino Airport in Rome. The casket will then be flown to Warsaw, Poland, tomorrow at 7am.

Since Jacek Malek came to Malta by himself and has no relatives here in Malta, his family will have to apply at the Gozo Courts so that the Maltese authorities can release all his personal effects.

This is the first fatal drowning of this year.