A Maltese doctor who was reported missing in South Africa has been found safe and sound, a spokesperson for the Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed with this newsroom.

Police in the Maitland precinct in the capital Cape Town had been seeking the assistance of the public to help them trace 29-year-old Stefano Corso who had last seen by his colleagues on 11 October 2023 at approximately 3.35pm, a note by the police on Facebook said.

“He is a visiting doctor from Malta who was attending a medical seminar in Paarden Island at the time of his disappearance,” the note said. Reports suggest that he stepped out of the conference to attend to a phone call, but had not returned. Video footage available to the South African Police Service shows him leaving the seminar.

But a spokesperson from the Foreign Affairs Ministry has now confirmed that he was found. No other details are as yet available.

Posting on Facebook, Stefano's brother, Roberto, expressed gratitude to the Maltese and South African institutions, "as well as the public in general for their assistance in my brother’s search and rescue mission. All the family is delighted to confirm that we have had visual confirmation that Stefano is indeed alive. We do not have more information about his disappearance at this stage. We look forward to having Stefano back home. Thank you again to each and every one of you."