A United States of America (USA) Navy aircraft has begun operations in the search for the three missing people who attempted to save a sinking vessel as it began taking on water while it was on its way to Huvadhoo from Th. Madifushi.
As per the Flightradar24 application, US Navy's Boeing P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft has flown over the area at an altitude of 1,500 feet where the supply boat had capsized.
Chief Government Spokesperson at the President's Office Mohamed Hussain Shareef (Mundhu) told Mihaaru News that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) are being aided by the USA in finding the three missing individuals.
The search operation with the US Navy airplane began this afternoon at 1:45 pm, and will continue for the next five hours, said Shareef.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated last week that they are working to seek assistance from foreign parties in locating the missing people.
Authorities received reports on August 5 that the "Friends 4" supply boat, which had been carrying gravel, sand and rock aggregate, was taking on water and sinking while traveling to an uninhabited island, Lh. Handas. MNDF and Police immediately responded, rescuing the crew and attempting to save the boat from sinking.
The boat sank on the night of 5th August, and an MNDF officer and a Police officer who had been part of the rescue efforts, as well as the boat's captain went missing during the incident.
MNDF said that the boat capsized 4.1 nautical miles outside of GA. Kudalafari. The area has a depth of 1,645 meters (5,489 feet), according to MNDF's estimates.
MNDF said that neither the three missing persons, nor the sunken boat have been found as of yet despite continuing efforts.
At the time of the incident, eight persons had been onboard the vessel: the boat's captain, Mohamed Hamdhoon, and seven foreign crew members. The seven crew members were rescued, but Hamdhoon went missing while working with the team bailing water out of the vessel to prevent it from sinking.
Along with Hamdhoon, an MNDF officer, Ibrahim Ahmed, and police officer, Ali Nafiu, also went missing at sea during the rescue efforts.
Mihaaru News cited a source as saying the three men had gone missing when the sinking vessel had toppled while they had been engaged in bailing water out of it to prevent it from sinking. A video of the incident that later emerged shows the vessel taking on water rapidly, with one end getting submerged. Just moments later, the entire boat sinks in, even as rescue efforts were ongoing, with another vessel active nearby.
