15-year-old on snorkeling trip found dead off Maamigili

A schoolboy who went missing on Monday while snorkeling in the waters off ADh. Maamigili has been found dead.

According to police, Looth Ahmed, 15, Roalhi, ADh. Maamigili, was part of a group of four children who went snorkeling off Maamigili in the afternoon.

The 10th grader was reported missing to the authorities at around 07:00 pm, prompting search and rescue efforts by the police, the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF), as well as the island’s residents.

The police said Looth was found in the waters off Maamigili, and taken to the local health center, which confirmed he was already deceased when taken there.

A family member told Sun that Looth was a strong swimmer and regularly went snorkeling off the island to catch octopus and fish.

He had gone snorkeling off Maamigili on Monday with three of his friends to catch octopus.

His friends discovered him missing upon returning to the shore as the sun began to set. They searched the waters for him before reporting it to the authorities.

He was found around two hours into search and rescue operations by the authorities from the waters near Ariyadhoo, an uninhabited island near Maamigili.

He was already deceased when found.

While the exact circumstances of his death remain unclear, there was blood inside his mask when he was found.

Looth’s untimely death has sent shockwaves through the Maamigili community. Dozens of locals have gathered outside the local health center, where his body was taken to.

The case is under investigation by the police.