The Maldives National Defence Force’s coast guard unit has assisted a vessel left stranded after sudden engine failure. 

The engine failure was reported to have occurred at about 2:10am on Wednesday, while 15 nautical miles from Kaafu atoll. 

The MNDF said that seas in the area have been choppy but the vessel was escorted into the atoll by early Wednesday morning.

There were 13 women and two children aboard the vessel at the time.