The body of a diver was found early yesterday morning at Paradise Bay by members of the Armed Forces of Malta after he was reported missing on Tuesday evening.

The man, Frank Baldacchino, 43, from Mellieha was reported missing by family members on Tuesday at around 7.45pm after he failed to return home from a dive.

Mr Baldacchino is believed to have left Xemxija Bay on board a boat. Using Go Mobile triangulation, as his mobile phone was still switched on, the Armed Forces of Malta pinpointed the boat at 20 metres off Paradise Bay.

On site were the AFM Melita search and rescue launch and divers from the Explosive Ordnance Depot.

His body was found early yesterday morning during a joint search operation by the AFM’s air and sea assets.

In a statement, the AFM said that Mr Baldacchino was known to sail around the area’s coast, reaching parts as far as St. Julian’s bay and Ghadira on occasions. While police headquarters dispatched mobile patrols to various localities along the coast, the AFM’s Maritime Squadron conducted its own searches.

At around 10 on Tuesday evening, the search-and-rescue launch Melita-2 tracked down Mr Baldacchino’s boat in Paradise Bay where they found the mobile phone. Divers from 3rd Regiment’s Explosives’ Ordnance Disposal also conducted a dive at 11.30pm in the area to try to locate him while the Swift-class patrolboat P-24 continued with the search throughout the night in the same area.

Early yesterday morning, an Air Wing aircraft located Mr Baldacchino’s body.

Duty Magistrate Consuelo Scerri Herrera appointed several experts to help her in an inquiry.