Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has said that they are conducting a large-scale search for Corporal Mohamed Sumaid, who went missing on Sunday evening.

Sumaid was out fishing with two of his friends, when he went missing after their dinghy ‘capsized’ near Gan of Addu City.

On Tuesday, Ibrahim Azim, media official of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) said that officers from its southern area are working tirelessly in the search for the missing Police Corporal.

He added that air and sea searches are being conducted in the search for Sumaid.

While Sumaid’s friends had reported that the dinghy they had been travelling in had capsized a number of times, MNDF said that they are not able to confirm that matter.

“The capsizing has not been confirmed by the investigation team as the belongings and other objects have been found intact onboard the vessel”, MNDF had said.

Sumaid’s family has also expressed concern over the belongings still being onboard the vessel, adding that they just “want to know the truth” about what happened to Sumaid.

His friends were able to swim to nearby Shangri-La Island Resort, where they sought help and reported Sumaid’s case to authorities.

MNDF said that Maldives Police Service (MPS) in investigating the case.