112 tourist deaths in marine incidents in 4 years

A total of 112 tourists have died in marine-related incidents in the Maldives over the past four years, according to information shared during a meeting of the Parliament’s Rules Committee on Tuesday.

Galolhu North MP Mohamed Ibrahim presented the figures, which were obtained from the Maldives Police Service, during a committee meeting held to review regulations related to tourist safety with officials from the Ministry of Tourism.

According to the data, the deaths recorded between January 2020 and October 2023 include:

Speaking at the session, MP Mohamed Ibrahim questioned the adequacy of existing regulations, stating that the number of fatalities was concerning in the country’s primary foreign currency-earning industry.

The MP also criticised a regulation issued last year, stating it was outdated and lacked a clear focus on tourist safety.

Tourism Ministry Director General Aishath Ali responded to the concerns by clarifying that not all deaths reported were the result of marine accidents. She said some fatalities involved individuals who encountered difficulties while swimming, despite there being no specific incident or accident.

Aishath further explained that the referenced document was a circular issued last year, not a formal regulation. She added that the Ministry is currently drafting a regulation specifically focused on tourist safety in beach and sea-related activities.

According to the Director General, the upcoming regulation will include measures such as:

She said the regulation aims to minimise fatalities by improving oversight and setting standards for all entities involved in marine tourism activities.