A 76-year-old Irish man has died after finding himself in difficulty while swimming in St Julian’s earlier today.

The police were alerted at around 12.40pm that assistance was needed at Xatt is-Sajjieda.

Officers rushed to the scene, where they spotted the man in the water and members of the Civil Protection Department and the Armed Forces of Malta were called in to assist.

The man was brought to shore and given medical aid, but was sadly certified dead shortly afterwards.

Magistrate Philip Galea Farrugia is leading an inquiry, while police investigations are ongoing.