Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has assisted a sickly individual aboard a foreign vessel.

MNDF’s Southern Area Command attended to the emergency, and helped transfer the individual to Gan island of Laamu atoll.

MNDF Coast Guard’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre received a request seeking assistance from the container ship, after a Filipino crew member onboard the container ship sustaining an injury to the head, on Saturday evening. He is to have required urgent medical attention.

Following the approval from the required authorities, the ship was allowed to travel up to 30 nautical miles west off Gan island, after which the Coast Guard approached them and transferred the Filipino crew member to the Gan Regional Hospital for treatment.

MNDF said that the vessel is a livestock carrier, and that the boat was 150 nautical miles off Maldivian waters when it asked for assistance.