No sign of missing Addu teen; challenges mount for rescuers with each passing day

The entire Addu has been in a state worry since Thursday - when a teenager from the southern city went missing after going diving for shrimp. Rescue workers have found no sign of him, and report mounting challenges with each passing day.

Mohamed Naeesh Nasr, 18, was reported missing to the authorities at 10:45 pm on Thursday, after he ventured into the waters off Gan with two of his friends to catch shrimp.

According to the latest updates shared by the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF), the Coast Guard searched 279 square nautical miles via air, 300 square nautical miles via sea, and 600 meters underwater on Saturday.

However, they have yet to find any sign of Naeesh.

The biggest challenge to the search and rescue mission is the bad weather affecting the region.

A spokesperson for the MNDF said on Sunday that while the weather conditions have relatively improved, the strong winds continue to hinder the operation.

“The challenges will mount with each day that passes with no sign of Naeesh,” said the spokesperson.

“But we continue our search at full swing, despite the challenges.”

Three fishing boats from Maradhoo – the district to which Naeesh belongs – have also joined in the operation, and an aircraft from Maldivian’s Aviation Academy has also been mobilized to assist in the efforts.

Naeesh’s family described him as a strong swimmer. According to them, Naeesh usually goes swimming in the morning, but decided to go Thursday night because he was supposed to travel to Male’ with his family, on Saturday.

The 12th grader was described by his family as “soft spoken and obedient”. He is the eldest of two siblings. He has a younger sister.