Parents to see their son for the last time six months since tragic death

The parents of a Maltese cyclist who died tragically in Hefei, in China last April, will see their dead son for the first time tomorrow.

Ishmael Muscat, 33, was teaching English in Hefei, when he was hit by a van while cycling to work and killed instantly.

"His Chinese wife, Shu Mei, would not allow his body to come to Malta because she is in a legal battle with the police and the driver," a representative of the Muscat family said.  "She put [his body] in a freezer until the case would be settled. However Francis and Monica Muscat decided to go and see him for the last time because they are convinced the case may take another year."

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat met Ishmael's wife in his hotel when he last visited China.

With the intervention of Reno Calleja, the President of the Malta China Friendship Society, Emirates offered a small reduction in the fare for the Muscat family. "We would like to thank Reno Calleja and Emirates general manager Paul Fleri Soler for their assistance. We have also asked the President of the Republic George Abela for assistance from the Community Chest Fund."

Educated at St Edward's College, in Birgu, Muscat was a lecturer in ESL (English as a Second Language) at the Wanbo Institute of Science & Technology, and was fluent in mandarin Chinese. In May 2012 he won the first edition of the ChuZhou city Shun Shan Cup mountain bike race held in the Chinese province of Anhui.