Karin Maria Grech was 15 years old when she died on 28 December 1977, after opening a letter bomb at her family home. The parcel, wrapped as a Christmas gift and addressed to her father, Professor Edwin Grech, exploded instantly.
Karin suffered severe burns and was rushed to St Luke’s Hospital, where she died shortly afterwards. Her younger brother, who was nearby at the time, was seriously injured but survived.
The attack took place during a period of political and industrial tension, including a doctors’ strike. On the same day, another letter bomb was sent to a Member of Parliament but failed to detonate. Despite investigations, no one has ever been charged, and the case remains officially unsolved.
Karin Grech’s death is widely regarded as one of the most significant acts of political violence in Malta’s post-independence history. She is remembered annually, and her name lives on through public memorials, including Karin Grech Hospital, and public gardens in San Ġwann and B’Kara.
More than four decades later, her murder continues to be cited as a reminder of the human cost of violence and unresolved justice in Malta’s recent past.
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