Man injured in Th. Vilufushi boat fire on ventilator support

Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) has revealed that the Maldivian man who was injured in a fire incident on a boat in Vilufushi island of Thaa atoll, is currently receiving treatment on a ventilator.

The incident occurred early morning on July 1. Videos circulating on social media showed the vessel engulfed in intense flames, indicating the fire was severe. The fire was extinguished through the combined efforts of relevant authorities and the public.

When contacted regarding the incident, the Maldives Police Service (MPS) informed RaajjeMV that the fire was reported around 9:15am on July 1. A police media official also stated that, based on preliminary information, the vessel involved appeared to be a fuel carrier.

Further, the police institution went on to reveal that two individuals were injured in the incident and were receiving treatment at the Vilufushi Health Center. The injured include a Maldivian and a foreigner.

Speaking to RaajjeMV, an official from the island council revealed that the injured Maldivian is the owner of the boat that caught fire. They also mentioned that 61-year-old Maldivian man was sent to the capital city sometime in the afternoon on July 2. He is reported to have sustained burns over a significant portion of his body.

Regarding the incident, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) stated that firefighters from the MNDF Central Area Command’s Fire and Rescue team actively worked to extinguish the blaze on an oil tanker in the Vilufushi lagoon. MNDF reported receiving the alert at 9:41am on July 1.

According to some eyewitnesses who spoke to Raajje MV, the first boat caught fire when the pump was turned on while the boat was full of petrol. The second boat caught fire due to the effects of the fire from the first boat.

Further investigations are currently underway in connection with the case.