A 25-year-old man has gone missing after a cargo boat caught on fire.
A total of 18 people were aboard the vessel, ‘Holhudhoo’ when it caught on fire on Wednesday night. While 17 people have been rescued, Ali Mushfiq, 25, remains unaccounted for.
According to the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF), a search operation has been launched involving Coast Guard ship Ghaazee, FIC Maafaiy, HP 114, divers, AirCorps drones and officers from MNDF’s Central Area Command. Search efforts are being conducted by sea, air and diving teams.
Meanwhile, police have urged travelers and seafarers to remain vigilant as debris from the now-sunken vessel is drifting in surrounding waters.