MNDF unable to recover dead diver’s body

Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) Coast Guard Commander Colonel Mohamed Ibrahim has said that the coastguard faces huge challenges in retrieving the body of a dead diver from 100 meters underwater.

Mohamed Jameel was reported missing on February 3 while diving near Villingili Island last week.

Speaking on Maldives Broadcasting Corporation’s Raaje Miadhu, Mohamed said MNDF divers had discovered Jameel’s fishing net at 70 meters on the third day of the search. The MNDF sighted Jameel’s body at 100 meters the next day.

The MNDF held discussions with expert divers in the Maldives and provided them technical assistance to recover the body however, after diving in the area, divers told MNDF that they were not able to retrieve the body due to the depth.

The MNDF spoke to technical officials of a local ‘Whale Submarine,’ but were unable to recover the body because the currents were too strong for the submarine in the area. Mohamed said there were hanging rocks in the area and it requires a strong hydraulic arm.

According to MNDF, the search team also had foreign diving instructors dive in the area and during the two days they tried visibility was low in the area and currents were too strong.

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Finance Ministry not working to recover funds lost through state incompetence: AG

The Finance Ministry has not been working to recover lost funds from the state, Auditor General Niyaz Ibrahim has alleged.

Speaking to local media, Niyaz said  the state treasury has suffered huge losses due to incompetence from state employees.

Despite audit reports revealing where money has been wrongly spent, Finance Ministry has not been working to recover the funds, Niyaz told local media.

“We are sending a copy of the audit reports from each institution to the Finance Ministry. We recommend the finance ministry to take action against them in which the ministry is involved.

“However there has not been enough work towards taking action against them, especially in the cases where the incompetence of some employees and other loss,” Niyaz was quoted as saying in local newspaper Haveeru.

The Auditor General said that transactions made against the state finance act and violations of travel procedures in government offices were common issues repeated in the audit reports.

Niyaz added that as some offices are repeating these mistakes, there will be a period of three months whereby the offices have to improve prior to an assessment at the end of the time period.

Cases of incompetence or deliberate acts of fraud resulting in losses of state funds are also being submitted to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) by the Auditor General, according to local media.

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MNDF discovers lost canoe, but no sign of children

Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has recovered a lost canoe, but there was no sign of the three children who may have been in it.

Three children from Hulhudhufaaru in Raa Atoll were reported lost in a canoe two days ago.

MNDF said its search team was still searching for the missing children.

The team has so far searched 2000 square nautical miles by air, 635 square nautical mile by sea and 500 square meters by diving, the MNDF said.

There was 14 year-old boy and two nine year-old boys aboard the canoe when it left the island, according to police.

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Three children lost on a canoe

Three children from Hulhudhufaaru in Raa Atoll have been lost in a canoe, reports police.

Police reported that the three kids went out to the ocean on a canoe yesterday and there was as yet no sign of them.

There were 14 year-old boy and two nine year-old boys aboard the canoe when it left, according to police.

Police and Maldives National Defence Force are searching the area for the missing children.

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Child’s body found in Baa Atoll

The body of a child was discovered in Kamadhoo of Baa Atoll, report the Maldives Police Service.

Police reported that the body was discovered in the sea by islanders and that the boy was dead when he was carried to hospital.

Police are now investigating the case.

Daily newspaper Haveeru reported that the boy was one year and six months old. The newspaper reported that the boy fell into the sea while he was playing near the island’s jetty.

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Chinese couple disappear at sea, leaving 13 year old daughter

A Chinese couple holidaying in the Maldives disappeared from their resort on Saturday after they went for a swim, according to the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF).

The 38 year old woman and 40 year old man were holidaying with their 13 year-old daughter on the Hilton Irufushi Beach and Spa Resort in Noonu Atoll.

Lieutenant Abdulla Jaleel said that MNDF had already searched 102 square miles from air and sea, attempting to locate the lost couple.

“Yesterday we checked near Rehendi Resort, today we started to search near Dhigufaru island,’’ said Jaleel. “We have been unable to discover any sign of them.’’

“On that day, we received a report from a speed boat  travelling in the area that they thought they had seen a woman lying face down on the surface, but when they turned towards the direction of the woman to check, she had vanished,’’ Jaleel said. “MNDF Nothern Area coast guard immediately went to the area, but there was no sign of them.’’

Daily newspaper Haveeru reported that the couple and their daughter went to the beach and that their daughter walked around the beach collecting shells while her mother and father were swimming. When she came back she noticed her parents were missing.

Jaleel said that the missing couple’s daugter was now under observation at Irufushi resort.

The resort issued a statement today saying it had immediately launched its emergency search and rescue plan, and contacted the MNDF Coast Guard.

“The hotel is assisting the authorities and all efforts are being made to locate the guests. The well being, safety and security of our guests are of paramount importance and the Hilton Maldives / Iru Fushi Resort & Spa continues to make every effort to ensure that all practises and standards are in line with strict safety and security regulations,” the resort said.

On February 27, a 69 year old German tourist died while snorkelling at Embudhu Village Resort in Kaafu Atoll, eight kilometres from Male’.

On March 1, a Chinese tourist died while snorkeling at Chaaya Lagoon Hakurahura Island Resort. Two weeks later on March 14 a second Chinese tourist died at Holiday Inn Kandooma Resort.

Correction: A previous version of article incorrectly stated that a Chinese couple died at Holiday Inn Kandooma Resort on March 14. The male guest died while the female guest was revived.

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Lost fishermen found

According to MNDF coast guard, the two fisherman from H. Dh. Neykurendhoo lost while out on a fishing trip have been found.

Hussain Abdulla, 43, and Mohamed Shifau, 15, left the island at around 7am on Saturday and failed to return.

Following a search and rescue operation carried out by the coast guard, the vessel was found today at 6.59am this morning,four miles off the coast of Neykurendhoo.

Both men were in good health and the boat is currently being assisted back to Neykurendhoo. The Coastguard noted that the vessel did not contain any mean of communication and urged people travelling in ocean-going vessels to ensure they had such equipment.

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