Coast Guard advices public against sea travel

Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Coast Guard has issued a public warning to refrain from taking up sea travel and to stay on dry land due to increasing winds and bad weather.

A statement released by MNDF Coast Guard today advised all sea transport vessels to check their radio sets and communication equipment and to pay extra mind to sea transport safety rules and regulations before travelling.

It also advises cargo ships to carry the appropriate load of goods and not to travel with a unreasonably heavy cargo and for passenger vessels to make sure that lifejackets are easily at hand when travelling. They called on all vessels to make sure that proper pumps and drainage equipment are ready and functioning, in case vessels face flooding.

Maldives Meteorological Centre (Met Office) has warned the public to expect an average strong winds of 30 to 40 mph, gusting to 50 mph in the central, northern & southern atolls from 1145 hrs to 1700 hrs today. Their notice states that “sea transportation is not recommended.”