The Male' City Council has called for an investigation into potential negligence by state authorities and demanded compensation for damages after two foreign vessels that illegally entered Maldivian waters drifted and ran aground on Male's eastern reef and the Sinamale' Bridge.
The two vessels, identified as MT KG 1 and AL 1, reportedly departed from Africa and entered Maldivian territory illegally on April 26. However, relevant authorities only became aware of their unauthorized presence a week after they had anchored near the capital.
Following a prolonged delay in resolving the status of the vessels, both ships dragged their anchors on the night of the 10th of this month, drifting into the Male' reef and colliding with the Sinamale' Bridge.
In a statement released yesterday, the City Council alleged negligence by state agencies and urged an independent investigation into the matter. The Council further noted that adequate security measures were not in place while the vessels were held at the Male' harbor under the supervision of Maldives Customs Service.
The Council expressed profound concern over the lack of transparent information provided to the public by state institutions. It further alleged that the incident was a direct consequence of institutions failing to fulfill their legal obligations.
Highlighting its responsibility under the Decentralization Act to protect the environment, reefs, and infrastructure within the jurisdiction of Male' City, the Council put forward three demands.
First, it called for an independent public inquiry to determine how the vessels entered the country and why the incident occurred while they were under Customs' custody. The Council demanded that those responsible for any negligence be identified and the findings be made public.
Secondly, the Council requested that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assess the damage to the reef and sought financial compensation for the damages caused to the bridge. Thirdly, it called for an engineering audit to verify the structural integrity of the Sinamale' Bridge’s main pillars and platforms following the collision, to ensure public safety.
The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has stated that both vessels have since sunk approximately 30 miles outside Maldivian territorial waters. However, no visual evidence or footage of the sinking has been released to date.
