A BRITISH boy has died and his father is still missing after the couple got into difficulties while swimming at a popular Malta beach.
The tragedy unfolded yesterday afternoon in Ramla Bay, where the family was enjoying the last hours of their holiday.
According to local reports, the 11-year-old boy and his 37-year-old father were swimming in front of horrified family members when they began fighting in the water.
At around 1.15pm the police were called and rescue teams from the Armed Forces of Malta and the Department of Civil Protection began an intensive search with tender boats and a helicopter.
The boy was pulled from the water and treated at the scene before being rushed to Gozo General Hospital, where he was tragically pronounced dead.
His father has not been found.
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But authorities say the search for the missing man continues.
As of Tuesday morning, rescuers were still scouring Ramla Bay, hoping to find signs of the missing father.
The Met Office had issued warnings about strong northwest winds on Monday and it is unclear whether these dangerous conditions contributed to the tragedy.
Other family members reportedly flew to Malta on Tuesday to support the devastated relatives.
The boy’s death marks the 16th drowning in Malta this year, according to the Times of Malta.
It comes just weeks after a 43-year-old British tourist died while swimming in Malta’s famous Blue Lagoon, after using a slide on a tour boat.
Witnesses pulled him from the water and performed CPR on him, but he was later pronounced dead at Victoria Hospital.
In August, a 35-year-old Italian tourist lost his life in the same lagoon.
In early July, a Spanish tourist was seriously injured after being hit by a boat propeller.
And in April, the body of a 71-year-old fisherman was found off the coast of Comino.
The tragedies come as plans are revealed for a radical overhaul of the Blue Lagoon to improve safety and protect its fragile ecosystem.
Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg announced proposals including removing coastal kiosks to create a 200-metre panoramic walkway, reports Malta Diary.
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Plans will also include restoring 35,000 square meters of bushland and relocating boat operations away from beachgoers.
The project, titled Rehabilitation of the Blue Lagoon: balance between nature and experience, also aims to expand the bathing area by about 5,600 square meters.
