A British tourist who tragically fell to his death from a hotel balcony in Malta has been formally identified and pictured.
Emergency services were called to a hotel in St Julian, Malta, on Friday morning where they found the lifeless body of a man outside the premises. Despite the swift arrival of paramedics at the incident on Triq Spinola, on the island’s east side, the 25-year-old tourist was sadly declared dead at the scene.
UK police have confirmed that the deceased Brit was from Gwynedd, in north Wales. Authorities temporarily cordoned off Triq Spinola road, adjacent to the hotel, in the fall’s immediate aftermath, with the route reopening once the man’s body had been removed.
An investigation into the fatal incident has been opened by Maltese police, with preliminary findings suggesting that the British man may have fallen from his hotel balcony around 4.15am.
Mr Thomas’ devastated father, Alan Hughes, expressed his gratitude to the BBC for the outpouring of supportive messages from the public.
He also revealed that his son, a twin, was employed as a software engineer at the time of his untimely death, with ‘a promising career ahead of him’.
Welsh MP Sian Gwenllian, who represents Arfon, spoke on the tragedy and said the death was “truly devastating, in a statement. She said: “News of the death of a 25-year-old from Gwynedd in Malta is truly devastating. The pain his family must be experiencing is unimaginable. My thoughts, and those of the people of Gwynedd, are with them in their grief.”
Liz Saville Roberts, the MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, also shared her condolences, saying: “Heartbreaking news. My heart goes out to the young man’s family at this extremely difficult time.”
A spokesperson for the Foreign Office confirmed: “We are in contact with the local authorities regarding the death of a British man in Malta.”
Investigations by Malta Police into the tragic fall, which took place at the Cavalieri Art Hotel, are still underway.
St Julian’s, a favourite tourist spot on the eastern side of Malta, is renowned for its beaches such as Balluta Bay, a rocky stretch lined with a promenade and eateries. Paceville, located south of St. George’s Bay Beach, is bustling with bars and nightclubs.
Valletta, Malta’s capital, is a mere 20-minute drive along the coast. It boasts the grandiose Grand Master’s Palace, now partially an armoury museum, and a 16th-century cathedral with a high-vaulted ceiling sheltering a mosaic-tiled floor.
