Malé council calls for independent probe into bridge collision
According to the council, the vessels had been detained by Customs since May after entering Maldivian waters unlawfully.
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Malé City Council has called for an independent investigation to determine whether negligence contributed to two vessels drifting into the Sinamalé Bridge on Thursday night.
The vessels, a boat and a barge, were under the custody of Maldives Customs Service when they broke free from their moorings and drifted into the bridge.
According to the council, the vessels had been detained by Customs since May after entering Maldivian waters unlawfully.
Citing its mandate under the Decentralisation Act, the council called on the relevant authorities to investigate how the vessels entered the Maldives and the circumstances that led to them breaking free while under Customs supervision, drifting towards the eastern reef of Malé and subsequently striking the bridge.
The council also called for an independent investigation to identify any negligence in the handling of the vessels and for the findings to be made public.
It further called for compensation to be sought for damage caused to the environment and the bridge. The council said the Environmental Regulatory Authority should assess damage to the reef, while financial compensation should also be sought for any damage caused to the bridge.
The council also requested a structural assessment of the Sinamalé Bridge. It said an engineering audit should determine whether the collision caused any damage to the bridge's main pillars and platform and provide the public with assurances over its structural safety.
The council expressed concern that the relevant state authorities had not provided what it described as accurate information about how the incident occurred.
“Therefore, in connection with this incident, Malé City Council calls on the relevant state authorities to ensure the safety and security of the maritime area of Malé City and to take the necessary measures to address these matters,” the council said in a statement.
The incident has also been submitted to Parliament's 241 Committee, which oversees matters related to national security services.
