Speedboat Sinks in Himandhoo Following Fire Incident
Photo: MPS
A speedboat operating in Alif Alif Atoll sank on Friday following a fire that broke out while the vessel was in the Himandhoo lagoon.
The speedboat, Kael Wing, was used as a ferry service for transportation between the islands of AA. Feridhoo, Maalhos, and Himandhoo. The incident occurred at approximately 6 a.m., while the vessel was anchored in the lagoon.
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According to the Himandhoo Island Council, three people were on board at the time of the fire: the captain, a crew member, and a child. All three sustained minor injuries and were treated at the Himandhoo Health Centre. They have since been discharged.
Preliminary assessments by the council indicate that the fire was caused by a fuel leak from a broken petrol pipe. While the blaze led to the vessel sinking, there was no explosion, and no serious injuries were reported.
The Kael Wing has since submerged fully in the lagoon.
This incident follows a separate maritime emergency earlier in the week, in which a cargo vessel sank near Th. Kandoodhoo. One crew member, 25-year-old Ali Mushfiq from L. Maavah, remains missing.
The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has been conducting a large-scale search operation to locate the missing crew member. Search efforts have so far covered 53.04 square nautical miles by surface, 64,240 acres through diving operations, and 1,545 square miles — 4,000 acres — by air. The search remains ongoing.
