A worker died this morning after he was crushed between a high-up and the ceiling of the Kirkop tunnel, the police said.

The accident happened at 4.30am during maintenance work being carried out by Infrastructure Malta.

The worker, a 57-year-old man of Zebbug, was cleaning the concrete roof of the tunnel when he was crushed between it and the high-up that was being used to lift him up.

Members of the Civil Protection Department and a medical team were called to assist the man, but he was certified dead on site.

Magistrate Nadine Lia is leading an inquiry.