Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) on Thursday revealed that the landing craft which capsized outside the main port in Male' on Sunday was operated by an unlicensed captain, according to findings from its internal investigation.
In a press statement, MPL said the captain lacked the qualifications to operate a landing craft and was unable to provide proper instructions during the operation. The vessel, which was carrying two excavators, lost balance and overturned, despite meeting general safety standards.
The investigation found that the cargo deck was not lined with wood, and the steel surface may have contributed to the instability. The excavators were loaded based on the captain’s instructions and were being transferred to a cargo ship when the incident occurred.
A landing craft capsizes off the Male' Commercial Port on November 2, 2025. (Photo/MNDF)
MPL confirmed that the unloading operation itself followed standard procedures. However, it noted that importers had not been verifying the qualifications of vessel captains and crew involved in such transfers. The company has since revised its internal protocols to require stricter compliance with licensing and safety checks.
Of the 14 people aboard the vessel, six were treated at Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH). Two MPL employees, 25-year-old Maldivian Ali Aflah Abdulla and 32-year-old Bangladeshi national Masood Hossain, died from their injuries.
MPL stated it is providing support to the affected employees and their families, both physically and psychologically. The incident follows another fatal landing craft capsize last month, which claimed the lives of a local and two foreign nationals amid rough weather.