A rescue operation to rescue a man trapped in the wreckage of a car which fell down a cliff at l-Ahrax in Mellieha ended in tragedy, as the man passed away.

A police spokesperson confirmed with The Malta Independent that the incident happened at around 8am when the police received a report that a car had fallen down onto the rocks at the bottom of the cliff near the sea.

The Police, a medical team as well as rescuers from the Civil Protection Department were on site, and the man inside the car was believed to still be alive, however a spokesperson told this newspaper that he had died by the time rescuers managed to get to the car.