Four Maltese citizens were killed Thursday afternoon when their car plunged off a coastal road near the Adriatic resort of Bunica and into the sea, Croatian authorities said.
The crash happened at about 4:20 p.m. on the D8 state road south of Senj, police said. The car, which had Zagreb license plates and was reportedly rented at Franjo Tuđman Airport, was traveling from Rijeka toward Senj when the driver lost control on a curve.
The vehicle struck two stone barriers before plunging some 70 meters down a ravine and into the water. Rescue teams recovered the bodies of two men and two women, who were later confirmed to be Maltese citizens. They were transported to the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Rijeka for autopsy and identification.
Croatian Mountain Rescue Service divers from Gospić joined the operation, along with the maritime police and Coast Guard. Witnesses said police officer Jasmin Mujaković, one of the first on the scene, stripped off his uniform and repeatedly dived 16 meters in an attempt to reach the victims trapped inside the submerged vehicle.
“He tried everything he could. He jumped, dived, tried to open the door, but due to the extensive damage and strong water pressure, it was simply not possible. He did his best,” said Adrian Karamba of the towing service assisting at the scene, according to the news outlet 24sata.
One of the victims’ bodies surfaced hundreds of meters from the car as recovery efforts continued. The other three were removed from the wreckage before the vehicle was lifted from the sea.
Police opened a criminal investigation to determine the cause of the crash. Local reports said authorities are also examining whether the driver may have suffered a medical episode.
Malta’s Ministry for Foreign and Tourism Affairs expressed condolences to the victims’ families. In a statement, it said officials were coordinating with Malta’s honorary consul in Croatia and Croatian authorities to provide support.
The accident occurred along a scenic stretch of the upper Adriatic coast, a popular route for tourists.
