Both parties culpable in Kaafu atoll boat collision

Both parties are culpable in the boat accident in Kaafu atoll that injured 15 people at midnight on Tuesday.

The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) said at a joint press conference with Transport Authority on Wednesday that the both the speed boat travelling toSummer Island Resort, as well as the vessel docked at Reethi Rah Resort are at fault.

Colonel Mohamed Ibrahim, of the Maldivian Coast Guard unit, said that the boat had been travelling faster than the advised speed, given choppy sea conditions, and that the vessel docked at the resort was entirely unlit.

Further, he commented that the boat’s operator had not taken into account the number of people onboard, adding that rescue officers were unsure of the total number of people they need to account for even as they were providing first aid to those that were injured.

He had noted that the damage caused by the accident could have been significantly limited if both vessel operators had given care and attention to the weather conditions and other such factors.

The boat was travelling to Summer Island Resort, to the north of Kaafu atoll, when it crashed into the vessel.

The MNDF had dispatched rescue officers as soon as the incident was reported to them, and that their sea ambulance services were active in transporting the injured individuals for treatment back to the capital.

The MNDF reported that most of the injured individuals are members of Summer Island's staff.

The ADK Hospital said that some of the patients had sustained severe injuries, and four in critical condition.