One diver has died, while 17 other divers together with an instructor have been rescued after a distress call which resulted in significant rescue operation in the waters around Cirkewwa.

A police spokesperson told The Malta Independent that the police force received a distress call at around 1:20pm stating at there were two groups of divers, totalling to at least 10 individuals, in difficulty.  That number was later updated to 18 by the Armed Forces of Malta, and again to 19 by a police spokesperson later in the afternoon.

At around 3pm, a spokesperson told The Malta Independent that a total of 19 people had been in distress.  Four of those had made it to shore by themselves, while the remaining 15 were rescued by the Civil Protection Department and Armed Forces of Malta who carried out sea operations with naval and air assets.

It is understood that 18 were divers, while the 19th person was an instructor who jumped into the sea to try and assist, but ended up needing rescuing as well.

The spokesperson said that four men had been taken to Mater Dei Hospital for medical treatment. A police statement later confirmed that one of the divers rushed to Mater Dei Hospital had died. The police said that the victim was identified as being from the Netherlands, and was 45-years-of-age. The condition of the other three is still pending.

The majority of those rescued are understood to be foreign nationals.

The rescue operation took place in the vicinity of the popular Ċirkewwa Rozi dive site.  The spokesperson said that a group from a diving school were rescued, but so were other individual divers who were there without any organised group.

"The Armed Forces of Malta has a number of sea and air assets in the area, and have thus far coordinated the recovery of 18 divers. The search is still ongoing,” the AFM said earlier in the afternoon in a short statement issued through the Department of Information.

Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri had early in the afternoon taken to Facebook to inform the public on the situation, noting that “groups of divers were in difficulty.”

The Meteorological Office issued a yellow weather warning for today, as a strong Force Six wind coming from the south-west battered exposed areas.

The Gozo Channel ferry trips were suspended for about an hour as the rescue operation was taking place, but have since been restarted.

Duty magistrate Gabriella Vella is leading a magisterial inquiry and police investigations are ongoing.