One fisherman was found alive and two others were lifted dead out of the water as the search for the fishing vessel Simshar that went missing eight days ago intensified yesterday. Two others, an 11-year-old boy and an Eritrean crew member, were still missing.

Boat owner Simon Bugeja was found alive yesterday evening by the fishing vessel Grecale, which was conducting a search to the southwest of Malta where two corpses had been found earlier.

The corpse of one of the crew members, Noel Carabott, 33, from Marsaxlokk, was identified by his wife yesterday afternoon. In a statement, the police reported the cause of death as asphyxia due to drowning.

Mr Carabott’s corpse had been located some 60 nautical miles southwest of Malta by a merchant vessel at roughly 2am yesterday, and was brought ashore by the Armed Forces of Malta.

The search for the missing vessel continued in full force and, in the afternoon, a second body was located.

It is believed the body is that of one of the other fishermen, Carmelo Bugeja. An AFM patrol boat last night brought the body to shore.

The 12-metre vessel was carrying a crew of five – Simon Bugeja, his father Carmelo, his 11-year-old son Theo, Mr Carabott and an Eritrean fisherman.

The vessel had left the fishing village of Marsaxlokk on 7 July and had been expected back in port on 11 July. The last contact with the missing vessel had been established as far back as 9 July.

Yesterday evening, there were initial reports that the young boy had also been located, but these reports were denied soon afterwards.

Simon Bugeja was last night brought to Mater Dei Hospital where he is receiving medical attention. Initial unconfirmed reports indicated that an explosion had destroyed the vessel.

The tragedy has gripped the small fishing village of Marsaxlokk, and it has been suggested the village’s festa, scheduled to start on 3 August, be cancelled.

The search for the vessel, which had concentrated on the area between Malta and Lampedusa, has involved AFM patrol boats and aircraft, Libyan vessels as well as aircraft from the Italian and American navies.

Fishermen from Marsaxlokk and other localities also helped in the search operations.