Tugboat runs aground on reef in Raa Atoll

A tugboat and a barge, carrying material for the airport construction project in the island of Raa Ifuru, have run aground on the reef of the island.

A resident of the island told Sun Online that the tugboat and barge, owned by MM Export, ran aground at around 7:00 a.m. due to strong winds.

He said that there were foreign workers onboard the vessels at the time of the incident, but no one was hurt.

He further informed that the major part of unloading the construction material had been completed, and that efforts to refloat the vessels will begin during high tide.

Maldives National defence Force (MNDF), when contacted, said that no such incident has been reported.