TO WORK  at sea, people assume that it is mandatory for them to be great swimmers. However, the fact is seafarers do not have to be swimmers to work at sea. It’s a common misbelief among people that seafarers might need to swim to shores or other ships incase the ship meets with an accident. But no matter how great swimmer a person is, even if the situation demands, it is next to impossible to swim to shores or stay afloat in water in extreme weather conditions. Moreover, there are several personal protective equipment on board ships to ensure that seafarers can float in water during emergencies.

The history of Malta is a long and colorful one dating back to the dawn of civilization.
The Maltese Islands went through a golden Neolithic period, the remains of which are the mysterious temples dedicated to the goddess of fertility. Later on, the Phoenicians, the Carthaginians, the Romans and theByzantines, all left their traces on the Islands.
In 60 A.D. St. Paul was shipwrecked on the island while on his way to Rome and brought Christianity to Malta. The Arabs conquered the islands in 870 A.D. and left an important mark on the language of the Maltese. Until 1530 Malta was an extension of Sicily: The Normans, the Aragonese and other conquerors who ruled over Sicily also governed the Maltese Islands. It was Charles V who bequeathed Malta to the Sovereign Military Order of St. John of Jerusalem who ruled over Malta from 1530 to 1798. The Knights took Malta through a new golden age, making it a key player in the cultural scene of 17th and 18th century Europe. The artistic and cultural lives of the Maltese Islands were injected with the presence of artists such as Caravaggio, Mattia Preti and Favray who were commissioned by the Knights to embellish churches, palaces and auberges.
In 1798, Napoleon Bonaparte took over Malta from the Knights on his way to Egypt. The French presence on the islands was short lived, as the English, who were requested by the Maltese to help them against the French, blockaded the islands in 1800.

British rule in Malta lasted until 1964 when Malta became independent. The Maltese adapted the British system of administration, education and legislation.

Modern Malta became a Republic in 1974 and joined the European Union in May 2004.

Full name	Steven George Gerrard
Date of birth	30 May 1980 (age 34 )
Place of birth	Whiston Merseyside England
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m )
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current team	Liverpool
Number	8
Youth career
1987–1998	Liverpool
Senior career
Years	Team	Apps	(Goals)
1998–	Liverpool	503	(119)

Personal life