A woman drowned in St George’s Bay in St Julian’s on Sunday afternoon, while another is receiving treatment in hospital, police said in a statement.

Police said that officers were alerted to two women finding themselves in difficulty in the waters of St George’s Bay in St Julian’s at around 12:40pm on Sunday.

Preliminary investigations showed that the women, a 48-year-old and a 23-year-old, who were both from Kyrgyzstan had found themselves in difficulty while in the water and had been brought ashore by passers-by.

A medical team and the Civil Protection Department was called on site, and both women were taken to Mater Dei Hospital for care.

The 48-year-old woman passed away later in the day, police said, while the 23-year-old is in a stable condition.

Magistrate Franco Agius is leading an inquiry while police investigations are also ongoing.