The Armed Forces of Malta and the Civil Protection Department yesterday conducted a joint operation to recover the corpse of a man who was reported missing to the police after he failed to return home from a day fishing.

The operation, which started on Wednesday evening, resumed yesterday morning. The body was spotted in Cirkewwa, where he was last seen fishing.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the body was that of the 47-year-old man from Hamrun who was reported missing.

Duty magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera was informed about the case. She appointed several court experts to assist her with the magisterial inquiry.

The police are conducting their investigations. An autopsy is expected to be carried out this morning.