MDP questions ‘quick’ inspection to rule Sinamale’ Bridge undamaged after oil tanker crash

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) on Saturday expressed deep concern over the speed at which inspections were carried out to rule that there was no structural damage to the Sinamale’ Bridge after two oil tankers crashed into it before sinking into the sea.

The incident in question took place amid rough seas and heavy rain on Thursday night, causing the tankers to drift.

Credible sources confirm the tankers in question were seized by the state for illegally entering Maldivian waters.

The tankers crashed into one of the pillars of the bridge as the waves carried it under the bridge and beyond, before it sank around 30 nautical miles outside Maldivian waters.

On Friday, Housing Minister Dr. Abdulla Muthalib announced via social media that engineers from Second Harbour Engineering Company (SHEC), which built the bridge, carried out inspections on Thursday night and again on Friday morning, and found no structural damage, but only surface scratches – which the company will repair.

In a statement on Saturday morning, MDP, the country’s man opposition party, expressed “deep concern” over the incident.

The MDP, citing media reports, said that the oil tankers had entered the Maldives illegally and anchored at the Male’ area back in April, and that security services had been unaware until a week later.

The party alleged that the government had decided one-and-a-half months back to move the tankers to a safer location due to the state of the vessels, one of which lacked an anchor and the other which lacked a functional engine, but failed to implement this decision “resulting in this dangerous incident.”

The MDP said that though Muthalib stated that that the incident did not result in structural damage, major damages from such incidents was “not unlikely.”

“And we also express concern over how quickly the government inspected the entire Sinamale’ Bridge and ruled there was no damage,” stated the MDP.

“This incapable and negligent administration failed to ascertain the safety of vessels travelling in Male’ and nearby. And, was grossly negligent.”

The MDP expressed concern that the tankers had remained harbored near Male’ with just one anchor between them, adding that it was not unusual for the anchor to drag and such an incident to occur under such circumstances.

“Such an incident is unacceptable given the vessels were in custody of Customs. If such issues aren’t rectified, then it is not unlikely other vessels to wreck of the Male’ sea wall or crash into other vessels in the future,” warned the MDP.

The party warned that having vessels illegally enter the country and anchor near the capital unbeknownst to relevant authorities poses a huge threat to national security.

“The party believes all related institutions and heads of these institutions should be held accountable over this,” said the party.

The MDP also condemned “the negligence of the government and state institutions regarding the country’s maritime security” and called on the government to formulate and follow a policy on dealing with such vessels.