British RAF Officer Dies in Parasailing Accident in Malta; Wife Injured

A former Royal Air Force (RAF) officer died in a parasailing accident while on holiday in Malta, and his wife was injured during the incident. Daryl Mayhew, 59, and his wife Dawn, 60, were participating in the activity off the resort town of Saint Julian's on September 19 when they were reportedly sent plunging into the water due to high winds.

Maltese authorities have launched a criminal investigation into the death, which is being led by a magistrate. Mr. Mayhew, who had served in the RAF for approximately 25 years as a logistics officer, had transitioned to a career as a health and safety consultant after leaving the service about a decade ago.

Family friends described the incident as a parasailing accident, noting that the weather conditions were not ideal. They stated that the police investigation is ongoing. Mr. Mayhew is remembered as someone who enjoyed spending time with loved ones.

Mrs. Mayhew was taken to the nearby Mater Dei hospital. According to reports, her children traveled to Malta to be by her side and she recovered relatively quickly, though the family remains devastated.

Britons constitute the largest group of tourists visiting Malta, representing one in five visitors. Parasailing, an activity that involves participants attached to a parachute canopy being towed by a boat, occurs globally, with an estimated five million people participating annually, according to the Parasail Safety Council. However, the organization notes that over 1,200 accidents have been recorded in the past 30 years.

This incident follows a similar event in August, where a British tourist died in a parasailing accident in Benidorm, Spain. In that case, a strong gust of wind reportedly caused a breakage in the parasailing line, leading to the individual's impact with rocks. The individual's husband survived the incident with injuries.