Salvage law in MALTA help needed please!

[knuterikt]

I understood, from a seminar by the RYA legal guy some years ago, that almost all countries defer to English Maritime Law, because we have more experience/history in this field.

This is not correct.
English law is not valid outside England, different countries have different laws on this subject. Some are likely to be similar to English but don't bet on it.
There is a reason for insurance companies (mine at least) giving customers this advice in case of salvage.

Don’t agree on any fixed costs for salvage. Please use the Lloyds Open Form which offers you
and the insurers some legal protection against unscrupulous salvers.

This is not possible in this case since the boat was unmanned when it was salvaged, so it makes the local law effective.