Social media and news portals reported on Friday that multiple divers were assisted and brought back to shore at Ċirkewwa Marine Park after finding themselves in difficulty.
The Armed Forces of Malta Rescue Coordination Centre stated as follows:
Earlier this afternoon, Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC Malta) coordinated a response following reports of five divers experiencing difficulties in the vicinity of the Rożi shipwreck, off Ċirkewwa.
AFM Facebook Post
Armed Forces of Malta, Civil Protection Department, and Malta Red Cross maritime assets were immediately deployed to the area to provide assistance.
All five divers were recovered safely and transferred to Mater Dei Hospital personnel for further medical assessment.
During the operation, RCC Malta received a separate report concerning another group of divers in the area who were initially unaccounted for. A subsequent intervention by response personnel confirmed that these divers were safe and did not require any further assistance.
Putting thogher the different posts and comments by some of the main portals and entities invovled, it appeared that a group of eight was separated, with the first five being assisted first from near the wreck marker of the Tug Boat Rozi back to shore. Another three divers were also considered to be missing. These were located later. None of the divers was reported to have needed medical assistance according to the Malta Red Cross, but this contrasts with the post by AFM. People who were onsite have told divinginfo.mt that all divers were ok and did not need medical assistance.
Thanks to the multiple entities which supported the divers, including the Malta Red Cross, Civil Protection and Armed Forces of Malta.
Based on local knowledge of the dive site, whilst sea conditions did not appear on surface to be any different than most fine diving days, it may be that strong currents combined with potential lack of expereince of the diving site may have contributed to this event.
Tug Boat Rozi’s location, at the edge of the Ċirkewwa Marine Park is often exposed to non-tidal currents flowing in or out of the Malta/Comino channel. Hence, whilst from the surface it may not be obvious, sometimes divers need to adjust dive plans mid-dive to tackle such currents.
One way to identify strong currents is to look for any tilt of the wreck marker buoys as these might indicate strong currents. Keep your guard up before and during a dive, do not swim against a current and use the reef for shielding if needed. In case things go really bad, the ideal is to surface with buddy or as a group, establish positive buoyancy and use DSMBs and whilstles or other devices to obtain attention from shore or vessels in the vicinity.
The area to the West is close to the regular Malta, Gozo and Comino ferries, which can be both a positive for swifter rescue, but also a danger in itself if not visible or at night.
We wish to remind those who might have been exposed to this event or that may have otherwise suffered shock or mental anxiety following this or similar events to use services such as Olli chat, run by the Richmond Foundation or Helpline 1770.