Cargo vessel burns down, one missing and two injured

A cargo vessel traveling across Thaa atoll was engulfed in fire on Wednesday evening, while one passenger has been reported missing.

Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) in a message shared with local media said the authority received report of a fire breaking out of a vessel called ‘Holhudhoo Boat’. Kadhdhoo Fire Station had dispatched its officers to the site.

Sun Online has learned the vessel was outside of Th. Kandoodhoo at the time of the incident.

MNDF further confirmed the vessel was carrying a total of 18 people including its captain, and had rescued 17 of them already. The only missing individual has been identified as Ali Mushfiq Mohamed, 25, from L. Maavah.

MNDF’s Central Area Command along with Coastguard have been active near the incident site looking for the missing individual.

While one is missing, two who were traveling on board the vessel, one local and one expatriate, were taken to Kandoodhoo health center for treatment. While the two did not sustain any external injuries, they had been in shock.

Kandoodhoo health center reported they were arranging for the two to be transferred to Dh. Kudahuvadhoo hospital for further treatment.