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Maritime Rescue Centre opened in Vilimal

The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has opened a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre at Vilimalé, an island nearby Malé, which has been administratively considered as a party of Malé the Capital city.

The Centre will function as an organizer of rescue missions to save people caught in on-the-sea accidents, and also function as a coordinator of parties engaging in the same activity throughout the country. The Centre will also help to improve rescue services.

The Centre was officially opened by the Minister of Transport Dr. Ahmed Shamheed, in a ceremony held last night.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Shamheed said that the Maldives needed to develop and improve its resources and infrastructure to help people who need rescue while at sea.

Recalling the incident of “Enamaa”, when a passenger boat travelling from Malé to the southern island of Thinadhoo sunk, killing a large number of passengers on board, Dr. Shamheed said that the incident showed how “ill-prepared we are to such accidents”.

The Minister also highlighted the importance of providing search-and-rescue services in accordance with the standards set by international conventions.

Brigadier General Ahmed Shahid of MNDF that the new Centre would be joined with such international bodies as well.

Shahid also said that the Centre would provide search-and-rescue services at sea, and that will develop human resources to provide the service as well. He also said that three sub-centres would be established in three different parts of the Maldives, which will operate under the Head Centre at Vilimalé.

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