- On May 20, 2023, Kay Abad, a 42-year-old cabin crew for private charter airline Smartlynx, was swept away by a wave while sightseeing around Sliema Sea in Malta with her colleagues.
- Three of the women were helped ashore by passers-by and one managed to make it back on her own but Kay could not be saved.
- The family expressed their appreciation to all those involved in responding to the incident and repatriating her body back to Finland.
- Kay was deeply loved by her family and friends who will forever remember her kindness and generosity.
May 20, 2023, Malta – A sad time for one of our flight attendant cabin crew as a tragedy struck on the shores of Malta. On Saturday, a wave swept away 42-year-old Filipina, Kay Abad, a cabin crew of a private charter airline, Smartlynx, while she was sightseeing around Sliema Sea with her colleagues.
According to a report published in Times of Malta, an eyewitness of the tragedy said that Kay and her cabin crew colleagues were taking pictures when they were suddenly hit by a big wave and dragged out to sea.
Majelle Legros, an eyewitness to the tragedy who was sitting on the ledge at Surfside restaurant at the time, said that the four women had left their belongings there and walked down by the rocks to take pictures.
She then saw a huge wave come in behind them and pull them out towards the sea. Legros began screaming for help and one of the women managed to make it back ashore. Two more were helped up by passers-by but Kay was taken much further out by the force of the waves and later succumbed to her injuries after being rescued.
A post on her sister’s Facebook account mentions that their family expresses their appreciation to those who responded to the incident. The family has extended their gratitude to all those involved in responding to the incident including medical responders, Mater Dei Hospital staff, as well as members of both Maltese armed forces and police forces who helped search for Kay. They also thanked Kay’s airline, Smartlynx, for their assistance in helping repatriate her body back to Finland.
Below is the post from Kay’s sister as she shares a message about her sister’s passing:
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of my sister Kay on May 20th, after a tragic incident that happened to her and her cabin crew colleagues while sight-seeing around the beach of Sliema Sea in Malta.
Our family would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to all those who expressed their concerns and sympathies during this time of profound sorrow.
Our deepest thanks to Malta’s armed forces, CPD, medical respondents, Mater Dei Hospital and my sister’s colleagues for their immediate medical aid and immense courage during the search and retrieval operations. Thank you to the Philippine Consulate, Finnish Government, Malta’s members of police force and my sister’s company Smartlynx, who are actively coordinating with us and providing us all the support we need in order to repatriate my sister’s body back to Finland.
Please join our family to continuously pray for the eternal repose of the soul of Kay and the loved ones she has left behind.
Kay was deeply loved by her family and friends and will forever be remembered for being an amazing person who always extended a helping hand to those in need.
Rest in peace, Kay. Our condolences to the family.