Human bones found yesterday in a quarry in Naxxar are believed to be those of a teen who went missing in November last year, the police said.

Christian Camilleri, 18, of Wardija, had been reported missing on 28 November and searches for him since then had, until yesterday, proved futile.

In a statement issued yesterday afternoon, the police said that they were informed that human remains had been discovered in a quarry in San Pawl tat-Targa, limits of Naxxar, at around 3.45pm.

In a later statement, the police said that a pair of shoes that was found close to the remains was similar to those that Christian Camilleri was wearing when he was reported missing. Torn clothes are also believed to have been found on the site.

Mr Camilleri had been reported missing when he did not return home after he was involved in a minor accident on the Coast Road. On 26 November, at around 5am, the young man was driving a Landrover Freelander when he skidded and crashed into a side barrier. He was not hurt in the accident and the car was only slightly damaged. Soon after, his parents were on the scene but Mr Camilleri told them that he wanted to walk home to Wardija.

Later on that day, Mr Camilleri had been seen walking past the Ghallis Tower towards the Maghtab/Burmarrad area by a trapper. He was also seen walking towards the Telgha t’Alla w’ Ommu, limits of Naxxar. Mr Camilleri was never seen again since then.

The police had mounted an intensive search for Mr Camilleri, which included a rigorous inspection at the Maghtab landfill.

Early this month, members of the Civil Protection Department and members of the police homicide squad spent a day exploring 18-metre-deep pipes at the landfill using fibre-optic cameras.

After the discovery of the bones yesterday evening, Duty Magistrate Dr Miriam Hayman, who was informed about the case, appointed various experts to help in the inquiry. While police investigations are still ongoing, forensic tests on the remains of the body are expected to be held in the coming days.