Cargo boat travelling to Naifaru capsizes

The cargo boat “Vilu 2” - travelling from Male’ City to Lh. Naifaru has capsized.

Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) said the incident was reported to the authority at 7:39 am, this Thursday.

It said a Coastguard speedboat with divers and pumps were immediately dispatched to the area to provide assistance.

MNDF reported that the boat was completely submerged underwater by the time Coastguard reached it. And that the crew onboard the boat was being transported to Male’ City.

The 95-foot long “Vilu 2” cargo boat carrying construction material had capsized near K. Kagi.

The crew onboard the boat - one Maldivian man and four migrant workers - had swum to a nearby coral reef when the boat capsized, and suffered no bodily harm.

MNDF reported that the Coastguard was working with the owners of the boat to haul it to the surface.