Loggerhead turtle hatchlings were found dead in Marsascala on Thursday evening, Nature Trust Malta said.

“This evening Nature Trust Malta and Era were alerted by Red Cross that some children playing in the sand at Fajtata Bay (St Thomas) in Marsascala discovered a loggerhead nest”, Nature Trust said in a Facebook post.

Unfortunately, the nest discovered contained recently-dead hatchlings. The nest was just on the central area of the beach and so must have been unknowingly heavily trampled by beach-users all summer, the NGO added

The nest was dug up by ERA and Nature Trust Officials in the presence of vet Dr Grupetta. Only one very weak hatchling was found alive but died minutes later. The nest contents have now been taken to investigate the cause of death and to take DNA samples.

This is a sad incident where an unknown nest could not be given adequate protection to increase the chances of a successful hatching on Malta’s busy beaches, the NGO said.