British RAF officer is killed and his wife injured in parasailing accident during Maltese holiday

DAILYMAIL.COM • 2h ago

By NICK FAGGE, SENIOR REPORTER 17:50 05 Oct 2026, updated 19:11 05 Oct 2026

A former RAF officer died in a parasailing accident in which his wife was also injured after they took part in the adventure sport together while holidaying in Malta.

Daryl Mayhew, 59, had only just begun his holiday on the Mediterranean island with his wife Dawn when they decided to try the activity.

Parasailing involves two or three participants being attached to a parachute canopy while being towed behind a boat.

The couple, from Redbourn in Hertfordshire, were at sea off the resort town of Saint Julian’s when they were reportedly sent plunging at speed into the water by high winds.

The Mail told last week of the accident a mile and a half off the coast of St Julian’s on September 19 when, at around 1pm, they were seen plummeting into the sea.

Now we have learned that the victim was Mr Mayhew, who after leaving the RAF had worked as a health and safety consultant.

He was rushed back to shore by another boat that had also been parasailing nearby, along with his wife.

But despite the efforts of an emergency medical team, Mr Mayhew was declared dead at the scene, while Mrs Mayhew, 60, was rushed to the nearby Mater Dei hospital.

Daryl – known to friends as Daz – is thought to have served in the RAF for 25 years, mostly as a logistics officer.

A family friend told the Mail: ‘It was a parasailing accident. The weather wasn’t ideal. The police investigation is ongoing.’

Paying tribute to Mr Mayhew, they went on: ‘Daz enjoyed spending time with the people he loved. He worked for the British Army first, and then transferred to the RAF.

‘He left the RAF about ten years ago to work in health and safety.’

They added: ‘Dawn’s children flew out to Malta straight after they heard about the accident and rushed to be by her bedside.

‘Thankfully I gather she recovered fairly quickly, but obviously the family is absolutely devastated.’

Maltese authorities have launched a criminal investigation into his death, which is being led by a magistrate.

Britons make up the largest number of tourists to visit Malta, accounting for one in five of all visitors.

According to the Florida-based Parasail Safety Council, up to five million people go parasailing around the world every year.

The organisation said that in the past 30 years, more than 1,200 parasailing accidents have occurred.

In August, a British tourist died during a parasailing accident in Benidorm with her husband.

The 66-year-old is said to have smashed on to rocks after a strong gust of wind led to a breakage in the parasailing line tethering the parachute canopy to the towing boat.

The woman went into cardiac arrest on impact with the rocks, and efforts to revive her after she was taken to Benidorm Port proved unsuccessful.

She was pronounced dead shortly after arrival at Villajoyosa Hospital.

The 47-year-old man described as her husband survived, but is thought to have suffered injuries including broken ribs and was said to be ‘walking wounded’.

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