A diver and a motorcyclist lost their lives yesterday, the former in Anchor Bay and the latter in Burmarrad after a traffic collision.

In a statement, the police said that they were informed that a diver had found himself in difficulties in Anchor Bay at about 3pm.

Preliminary investigations established that a 62-year-old foreign national had lost consciousness while trying to swim to shore. He had surfaced because his air supply was about to run out. The man was brought to shore where he was certified dead by paramedics who arrived on site.

A short while later, at about 3.45pm, the police were informed that there had been a traffic accident in Burmarrad. It transpired that a 32-year-old man from Qawra, riding a Kawasaki motorcycle, had been involved in a collision with a Toyota vehicle that was being

driven by a 37-year-old woman from Gwardamangia. It is understood that the motorcyclist died on impact. The woman in the car was unhurt but was suffering from shock.

Duty magistrate Jacquline Padovani assigned a number of court experts to draw up separate inquiries.