On Saturday, June 8, fifty volunteers representing twelve organizations cleared over 2.25 tons of debris from Xemxija Bay in Malta. The event was organized by iGEN as part of World Oceans Day activities.
Coordinated Cleanup Operations
The operation began at 08:30 when coordinators met at the local slipway. Rob Jones of NoID transported the initial group, while Andrew Crosby from Aloha Gaming managed onshore logistics and supplied air tanks and collection sacks. Dive leaders Adrian Sultana, Edward Sultana, and Raniero Borg from Raniero’s Adventures directed underwater teams. Divers first located large submerged objects for recovery before snorkelers from Light and Wonder cleared the seabed between Beachaven Complex and the shoreline.By 09:30, the remaining volunteers arrived and were assigned to specific zones. Kindred representatives, accompanied by children, collected plastic and seaweed from the sand. Teams from Bet365, led by Camilla Engelin, and KPMG Malta, directed by Edward Cachia Zammit and Russell Mifsud, removed windblown debris accumulated along the Simar Nature Reserve boundaries.
Anna Dobrovolska and the 1Gamechanger crew focused on vegetation north of the slipway, while photographer Vlad documented the proceedings.
The cleanup forms part of iGEN’s ongoing environmental program, which coordinates sustainability efforts across its member and affiliated companies. World Oceans Day serves as an annual observance to highlight marine conservation and coastal maintenance.