1 comment.Jum it-Tragedja commemoration next Sunday at Mgarr
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Next Sunday, the 31st of October, a wreath laying ceremony will take place to commemorate the 62nd anniversary of one of the worst sea tragedies, which caused the drowning of 23 persons near the shores of Gozo as they were crossing from Malta to Gozo on the 30th of October 1948.
The ceremony will commence at 9.45am and will take place at the foot of the monument at the Zewwieqa Waterfront, Mgarr. Following this at 10am, a Ho;y Mass will be heard aboard one of the Gozo Channel ferries, on the site of the shipwreck.
The drowning, which was the worst post war sea tragedy in Gozo, occurred when notwithstanding severe weather conditions, a luzzu tried to make the crossing from Marfa to Gozo, carrying several passengers amongst whom were two policemen, a woman and two members of the crew. This crossing was abruptly brought to an end when the boat overturned as it was near Hondoq ir-Rummien bay, only four of the passengers survived by swimming over to the shore.
It seems to me, it was yesterday when this Tragedy happened 62 years ago. I was only 14 years old, when my mother and father received the bad news about my Uncle Leli Sultana from Xaghra was with them .. my father just missed it and took the boat before it . ….. My Uncle Leli was very good swimmer, but unfortunatly he did not make it, some one else held on to himand did not let go. Paul Zammit from Xaghra also, was swimming ahead of him and he had just called LELI if he was ok, and all of a Sudden my uncle disapeared from the surface. That was a big Shock to our Family and to the other 22 Families. that lost their lives …….. May the LORD GRANT them Peace in Heaven ……………… Walter