Tragedy as British tourist, 43, drowns at famous holiday beauty spot

A British tourist has drowned in Malta's iconic Blue Lagoon after sliding off a tourist boat and struggling to reach the surface. The unnamed 43-year-old entered the water via the slide on a tourist boat at around 1:30pm local time on Tuesday before encountering difficulty. He was spotted struggling in the Comino lagoon by other travellers, who pulled him ashore and administered CPR, the Times of Malta reports.

Volunteer first-aiders from the Mediterranean island's Emergency Response and Rescue Corps (EERC) rushed to the scene and also tried to save the Brit's life. He was transported to Mgarr Harbour on the nearby island of Gozo where he received treatment from a hospital medical team, but was pronounced dead upon arrival at Victoria Hospital, in the island's capital city.

Magistrate Brigitte Sultana has launched an inquiry into the incident, according to local reports.

It's not the first time a tragedy has hit the famed natural pool, popular with tourists for its clear, turquoise waters.

A 35-year-old Italian man died after getting into difficulty at the Blue Lagoon just last month, and the body of a 71-year-old fisherman was found off the coast of Comino in April.

A Spanish tourist was also greviously injured after being hit by a boat propeller in the water near Comino in July.

One of Malta's most popular tourist spots, the Blue Lagoon has long been the subject of safety fears, including for its natural ecosystems.

A project titled 'Blue Lagoon Rehabilitation: Balancing Nature and Experience' was announced by Maltese officials earlier this month, including plans to enlarge the swimming area by around 5,600 square-metres.

It will also involve the removal of kiosks from the beauty spot's shoreline, to be replaced by a 200-metre walkway, and the relocation of boat docking areas to ensure a safe distance from the swimming zones.