Lost, Found & Auctioned has found a permanent spot in Malta International Airport’s calendar of holiday activities. Held last Wednesday, the seventh edition of the event attracted around 160 people, and raised €7,730 for The Sovereign Order of Malta.

Over 90 items, including a number of mobile phones, branded sunglasses, and watches, went under auctioneer Pierre Grech Pillow’s hammer, who hosted the event together with local presenter Peter Carbonaro. Those present were also treated to a live performance by Malta International Airport’s brand ambassador Joe Roscoe.

Starting at €200 and eventually going for €750, the highest-selling item on the night was a DJI Phantom drone.

While many lost-and-found items are returned to their rightful owners by the airport every year, the items that remain unclaimed end up on Malta International Airport’s annual auction list. Auctioning items that are never claimed by their owners or confiscated by security personnel is common practice at airports such as Heathrow, Munich, Frankfurt, and Sydney.

The money raised during previous editions of the auction benefitted a number of organisations including Inspire (2016), id-Dar tal-Providenza (2015), Hospice Malta (2014), and The Ladybird Foundation (2013).

The Maltese Association of The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta (MASMOM) assists persons who are sick or have special needs, young children coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, religious institutions, and homes. The Maltese Association organises a number of activities throughout the year, including a daily service of tea and coffee for outpatients at Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Hospital, the distribution of 150 Christmas hampers to underprivileged families and institutions, a family fun day and an annual pilgrimage to Lourdes.