An elderly man was found dead on Saturday after falling off the cliffs at Birzebbuga, the police said.

The man was later named as Mario Dalli by the Tarxien local council. 

In their statement, the police said that relatives of the man, aged 72, of Tarxien, informed the police on Friday at 11pm that he had not returned home after going fishing in the Ghar Hasan area.

The police went on site and located his vehicle, together with other personal items and fishing equipment.

A search was mounted immediately on land by members of the Civil Protection Department, while the Armed Forces of Malta assisted with the search with a patrol boat and a helicopter.

On Saturday morning, at 11am, the body of the man was located by an AFM diving team.

The police said that it is likely that the man fell off the cliffs.

Magistrate Victor Axiak is leading an inquiry.