14,933 criminal offences reported in Malta in 2022

Feb 7 2023

If one were to exclude the anomalous COVID 2020 figures, the criminal offences rate was the lowest the figure has ever been in 2022 in the past decade.

According to CrimeMalta Observatory’s Annual Crime Review, 14,933 criminal offences were reported in 2022. This translates into a 5.4% decrease when compared to 2021.

In 2004, there were 45 criminal offences per 1000 persons. 2012 registered a decrease, with 37 criminal offences reported per the same amount. 2022, meanwhile, saw 28 criminal offences per 1000 people.

A statement by the government said that this was the lowest crime rate registered in 15 years. Despite there being years with lower numbers off crime reports within that 15 year period, the crime rate takes the population numbers into account.

Given that Malta now has a higher population, this translates into a lower crime rate, the Malta Independent reported.

When addressing a press conference, Professor Saviour Formosa said that projections had predicted over 20,000 offences for last year. This did not materialise, giving the credit to the work being done by law enforcement authorities.

Murders committed between 2018 and 2022 all saw alleged perpetrators arraigned in court. The rate of homicide remained stable at 1.7% for every 100,000 between 2004 and 2022.

1,562 cases of fraud were reported in 2022, a 34% decrease from 2021. Meanwhile, drug related crimes returned to the average seen before 2020. This means it decreased by 393 cases in 2022 after an increase of 435 between 2020 and 2021.

Violent crimes decreased when compared to 2012 as well, with 361 cases registered in 2022 when compared to 391 cases in 2012.

Cases of arson decreased by 73% when compared to 2004. Theft rose in 2022 by 134 reports when compared to 2021. When compared to 2012, the number decreased by 47%. 4,612 cases of theft were reported in 2022.

There was an increase in bodily harm crimes, wherein 847 cases were registered in 2022 at a 14% increase when compared to 2021’s 742 cases.

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1,830 domestic violence reports filed in 2022 in Malta

Feb 7 2023

According to CrimeMalta Observatory’s Annual Crime Review, there were 1,830 cases of domestic violence reported in 2022 locally.

Domestic violence and theft were among the prevalent crimes which increased last year when compared to the previous year.

2021 saw 1,741 domestic violence cases, meaning that 2022 saw an increase of about 5%. The numbers had skyrocketed when compared to other years, such as 2012 which saw 1,028 cases or 2004’s 450 cases.

Despite the worrying increase, the rate of high reports of domestic violence indicates, according to authorities, that more people are feeling safe enough to speak up against their aggressors.

The statistics were provided by Professor Saviour Formosa during a press conference.

This also comes as the compilation of evidence against Roderick Cassar, the man accused of killing his estranged wife Bernice Cassar, continues. Bernice was revealed to have filed various reports against her husband but no direct action had been taken before she was murdered.

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AnneMarie Grech launches Light to help those struggling with infertility

Feb 7 2023

Bernard Grech’s wife AnneMarie just launched a non-governmental organisation called ‘LIGHT’, to help people who are struggling with infertility and give them guidance and emotional support.

‘The name LIGHT was chosen to deliver a message of hope and positivity for when a person is in a dark place’ said the Opposition leader.

He quoted AnneMarie in saying that the seed has been planted and that she trusts that through all the people working with LIGHT, a lot of good will be done.

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Footage shows moment 2015 plane crash slices car in half

Feb 7 2023

TransAsia Airways Flight 235 was en route from Songshan Airport in Taiwan to Kinmen Airport in China when the tragedy took place on February 4th, 2015.

Just minutes into the flight, one of the plane’s turboprop engines failed, but instead of following the normal procedure of shutting down the malfunctioning engine and returning to the airport, a mistake was made by the pilots.

Due to miscommunication between the captain and co-pilot, the second engine was shut down, causing the plane to plummet towards the Keelung River.

The last words from their pilots heard by the passengers were: “Mayday, mayday, engine flameout.”

During the descent, the plane passed over a bridge and cut a taxi cab in half with its wing. Surprisingly, the two passengers in the cab survived with only minor injuries.

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Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said for those onboard Flight 235. Moments after the close call with the taxi, the plane crashed upside down in the river, resulting in 43 fatalities. Only 15 passengers survived.

All of the flight crew and one of the two flight attendants perished in the crash. The Taipei Fire Department and volunteer workers arrived on the scene within minutes, but it took another half hour for rescue boats to reach the survivors inside the plane.

Once the survivors were rescued, divers were sent to retrieve the dead, most of whom were seated at the front of the plane. A couple on the flight may have only narrowly escaped the crash due to a last-minute change of plans.

They had moved from the left side of the plane to the right before take off after hearing a strange noise coming from the wing. This proved to be fortunate as it was on the left side that an opening was created upon landing in the water, allowing the couple to escape before the plane filled with water.

The crash of Flight 235 ultimately led to the downfall of TransAsia Airways as it was the second major incident the airline faced in seven months. The airline ceased operations and closed indefinitely by the end of 2015.

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