British boy, 11, dies and his dad remains missing in holiday hotspot tragedy

Ramla Bay beach, in Gozo, Malta (stock image) (Image: Getty)

An 11-year-old British boy has died while a man believed to be his dad, 37, is still missing after they got into difficulty while swimming at a beach in Malta, according to reports. Local media suggested that the terrifying incident unfolded at Ramla Bay in Gozo, in the Maltese Islands, on Monday afternoon.

They were said to have been at the beach with family. After getting into trouble in the waters off the popular beach, rescue efforts took place.

The beach is a popular spot among sunseekers (Image: Getty)

Police were scrambled to the scene yesterday at around 1.15pm.

An intensive search by a dinghy and helicopter was launched shortly after by the armed forces and the Civil Protection Department, The Sun reports.

The boy was pulled from the water that afternoon and treated at the scene by medics before being rushed by ambulance to Gozo General Hospital.

He was sadly declared dead there a short time later, according to reports.

Searches for the man, who was also reportedly a British national, continue. 

He remained missing as of Tuesday morning, as per The Times of Malta. There doesn't appear to have been official confirmation yet about their identities and that they were father and son.

A warning had been issued by The Meteorological Office over strong north-west winds hitting the country on that day.

It's not known whether weather conditions were a factor in the tragedy.