Valletta, Malta- Police in Malta were deployed Wednesday in full force as unrest linked to a transport strike, continued for a third straight day in the normally tranquil Mediterranean island nation.

A ferry service from Sliema to the capital Valletta was suspended following threats by striking workers who have been disrupting, sometimes violently, emergency transport services during what is the peak of Malta's tourism season.

Buses commandeered by the strikers have continued to block the main road to the airport, leaving hundreds of tourists and commuters stranded in the scorching heat.

Tourism is Malta's biggest industry, accounting for 25 per cent of the country's wealth, and there is growing concern over the strike's negative impact.

The strike, which organizers say will last "indefinitely," was triggered by government plans to grant licences to more hearse operators in an effort to liberalize the sector. Bus and taxi drivers believe their activities will be targeted next under the liberalization plans.

The Health Department said it may have to step in to organize funerals if the strike continues and hearse services remain idled.

The country has just 12 licensed hearses and with burials delayed indefinitely, the mortuary at Malta's main hospital is being stretched beyond capacity, according to the daily, The Times of Malta. (dpa)