Tourist dies in South Ari Marine Protected Area
13 ޖުލައި 2025 | އާދީއްތަ 11:43Another tourist, a 47-year-old male from the U.S., died while snorkeling in the SAMPA
Tourists swim alongside a whale shark in the SAMPA
Another tourist has died in the South Ari Marine Protected Area.
The incident, which occurred in early July, has not been disclosed by any government authority until now.
When questioned by RaajjeMV on Saturday, the Maldives Police Service (MPS) confirmed the incident.
The police institution revealed that the deceased was a 47-year-old male, who was a citizen of the United States.
Police revealed that a case was reported to them at 12:28pm on July 6, about a tourist who died while snorkeling outside the reef of a resort in Alif Dhaal Atoll.
While the police institution highlighted that they are investigating the case, they did not provide any information about the cause of the tourist’s death.
According to a reliable source, the person died in the South Ari Marine Protected Area (SAMPA), an area popular among tourists for manta ray sightings.
This marks the sixth reported tourist death in the area.
Despite being a major source of tourism revenue, the area has faced ongoing concerns over poor maintenance. Previous media reports have highlighted that limited government funding and a lack of resources have contributed to its neglect.
