A flare fired from a yacht at Ramla Bay on Friday night narrowly missed volunteers who were guarding a turtle nest, prompting Nature Trust Malta to seek police assistance, Times of Malta reported.

The flare landed in the sand dunes at the Gozitan bay, igniting a fire, according to Nature Trust Malta.

Volunteers have been keeping watch around the clock to protect turtle nests in the area, where eggs have been hatching over recent nights.

However, the illegal and dangerous flare disrupted the hatching process on Friday night.

Flares are only to be used in emergencies and must be fired upward to guide rescuers. Ramla Bay, a protected Natura 2000 site, is also under an Environmental Conservation Order due to the presence of loggerhead turtle nests.

Although the flare missed volunteers and security staff from the Gozo Ministry who were stationed at the site, it caused damage to the vegetation on Ramla’s dunes.

The incident was immediately reported to both the police and the Environment and Resources Authority, who responded at once.

“We hope those responsible are identified,” Nature Trust Malta said in a statement, condemning the dangerous incident.

#MaltaDaily