Maldivian man missing after ‘Udhares’ boat sinks off L. Olhuveli

A Maldivian man has gone missing after a cargo boat bound for GA. Vilingili sank off the coast of L. Olhuveli on early Thursday.

The ‘Udhares’ boat was carrying cargo from Male’ City to Vilingili with a crew of 13 – two Maldivian citizens and 10 expatriates - when it ran aground on a reef near Olhuveli, which houses the resort, Six Senses Laamu, before sinking.

The incident was reported to the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) Coast Guard Maritime Rescue Coordination Center at around 01:21 am.

One person, identified by the MNDF only as an elderly Maldivian man, went missing in the incident.

The Coast Guard and police have launched a joint search and rescue operation in response to the incident.

The police said earlier that one of the expatriate workers swam to Six Senses Laamu, while the other 11 workers were rescued by a boat from the resort.

All 12 people rescued are safe, said the police.

The MNDF has also issued an advisory asking boats traveling in the area to keep an eye out for cargo from the ‘Udhares’ boat, which is adrift to the west of Olhuveli.