‘It Was Literally Hovering Over Us’: Bernard Grech’s Son Speaks Out After Drone Flies Over Family Home
Neil Grech, son of Opposition Leader Bernard Grech, has spoken out after spotting a drone flying over the family’s house with his own eyes.
“My mum was in the kitchen when she heard the propellers of the drone, that’s how close it came. We heard the propellers from the kitchen, then I walked out into the garden and found it going upwards,” Neil Grech told Lovin Malta, when contacted.
“When I walked outside and remained staring at it, the drone kept pointing towards me for around a minute before it flew back up. It was literally hovering over us.”
He said he stared at the drone with his arms open to show its operator that he was seeing it.
Having been so close to the encounter, Grech also managed to get a glimpse of the model of the drone, which he said was a greyish-white Mavic-pro.
“We had a number of close family friends at our house at the time it happened who saw the drone as well,” he said.
Bernard Grech has filed a police report about the incident, complaining directly to police commissioner Angelo Gafa.
“A few minutes after my family informed me, I called the police commissioner as was my duty because he always insisted that I speak to him about issues that concern me,” he said. “I thank him for taking steps and he told me he is investigating it.”
Grech has accused Prime Minister Robert Abela of ordering PL media house ONE News to fly the drone over his home so as to “invent a story” about him.
Although ONE hasn’t published a story with drone footage of the PN leader’s home, Abela yesterday told journalists to “look at the Opposition leader’s villa with a pool” when questioned about a property deal he had entered into with car dealer and suspected criminal Christian Borg.
“Robert Abela clearly indicated that he was investigating my property, and this on the same day that my son and wife saw a drone hovering over our house,” Grech said.
“This isn’t the first time that the Labour Party and ONE News used oppressive means when their backs are to a wall,” he said. “L-Orizzont’s editor Victor Vella has been suspended, the Prime Minister warned he will boycott the Times and [ONE TV host] Karl Stagno Navarra filmed and attacked journalists for doing their job.”
Prime Minister Robert Abela
“Rather than concealing his hand, Abela should immediately stop running away from questions and using oppressive tactics against journalists.”
Abela denied having any involvement with the drone incident when questioned by the press today.
“I absolutely and categorically deny any involvement. I did not even know about it,” he said.
“If it happened, not only do I condemn it, but I believe that family life should not mix with the political roles we have. Respect for family privacy should be absolute.”
The law prohibits people from flying drones over private property without the consent of the property owner, with Transport Malta’s guidelines stating drone operators must ensure they observe the relevant trespass laws.
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