Reliable sources have informed Adhadhu that the captain of a cargo vessel that sank late last night, along with a police officer and a soldier who went to assist, went missing while attempting to pump out water.
The missing individuals include the vessel's captain, a police officer from the Gaafu Alif Villingili station, and an MNDF soldier from Gaafu Dhaalu Thinadhoo who had joined the rescue operation.
The captain has been identified as Mohamed Hamdhoon of Thaa Madifushi. This newspaper has also learned that the missing police officer is Sergeant Ali Naafiu. Details regarding the identity of the missing soldier have not yet been confirmed.
According to information obtained by Adhadhu, both the missing officer and the soldier are married to residents of Villingili. The missing MNDF soldier is a father of three, while the police officer has two children.
The vessel, "Friend-4," sank in the early hours of the morning. There were eight people on board at the time of the incident; with the exception of the captain, all other crew members were expatriates, all of whom have been rescued.
An official familiar with the incident told Adhadhu that the missing men were on board the vessel when it went down. He said they were actively engaged in efforts to pump water out of the boat to keep it afloat.
"Friend-4," which was reportedly transporting gravel and sand to a resort, began taking on water around 9:30 pm last night. Reports indicate the vessel had only one pump on board, which proved insufficient to control the flooding.
As the situation worsened, the captain contacted various parties for assistance. Police and MNDF teams arrived at the scene equipped with additional pumps to assist in the salvage effort.
The joint police and military team were pumping water out while the vessel was being towed by a landing craft passing through the area. It is believed that a wave generated by the landing craft caused the vessel to capsize and sink.
In a statement released late last night, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) said the vessel sank due to rough seas despite efforts to save it.
"Due to rough seas, efforts to salvage the vessel were unsuccessful. The craft sank completely while soldiers and police officers were still working on board," the MNDF stated.
A search operation involving the MNDF, police, and local volunteers is currently underway to locate the three missing men.
"Of the eight people on board when the incident occurred, seven have been rescued, while three remain missing. Those missing include the captain of the vessel, as well as a soldier and a police officer who were involved in the rescue operation," the MNDF confirmed.
