Tourist warned several times not to jump in; died in front of all
He said the tragedy had happened in front of everyone.
By
Aminath Shifleen
One of the scenes that always catches the attention of tourists in K. Thulusdhoo are the pretty dolphins entering the seabed between the island and the nearby Kuda Vilingili Resort. Many tourists go to Thulusdhoo to watch this scene. On Monday, a tourist was brutally killed when he jumped into the sea by a group of dolphins to take pictures.
Unaware that the tourist was under, a speedboat had driven over him, leading to his death with multiple serious injuries.
Warned several times; did not listen
It was Monday afternoon, around 11.30 pm.
The tourist group from Poland, a couple and two others, were at the lagoon, east of the island. Some in the sea, others on the beach. At the time, there were a lot of people in the area. At that moment, they saw a pod of dolphins passing through.
The 52-year-old, who was in the sea at the time, wanted to go to the dolphins and take pictures. However, since the strait is usually frequented by boats, it is prohibited from entering the area. He was told about it, and he said he didn't want to go too far and would stay close to sea wall.
This scene was seen by those guarding the area. When the tourist started heading out, he was advised not to do so. On one occasion, a person went in a jetski and told him that it was forbidden and not to go any further.
But when he saw the pod of dolphins, the man forgot all the advice and headed out toward the sea. All he wanted to do was pose with the dolphins and take a picture. However, as things turned out, a speed boat drove over the man. He hit the boat engine’s propeller, causing his hand to get cut off and severe abdominal injuries as well.
Even though the boat’s captain had not seen the tourist, he fet something was not right the minute he ran over the tourist. When he looked back he saw the man in a pool of blood in the sea. Immediately, the boat was turned away and efforts were made to rescue the man. At that time, people in the area had gone to the tourist's rescue as well.
"But in a very short span of time, everything happened. By the time we reached the tourist, he was dead," said a senior official of the Thulusdhoo guest house, Kudhiboli Beach House, where the man was staying.
He said people on the beach at the time saw the crash. His wife was at the scene at the time. He said the tragedy had happened in front of everyone.
"It's an absolute tragedy," he said.
The middle-aged tourist group from Poland, who had come for vacation in the Maldives, had seen a scene that would never go away from their hearts. The deceased man's wife is in critical condition. They have now come to the city to take the man's body to the mortuary.
A young man who spoke from Kudhiboli Beach House said that before venturing into the sea, they tell their guests what to do and what is forbidden. They also tell them that venturing into the sea beyond the islet is prohibited. But sometimes, he said, tourists don't follow what they say.
"The sea is beautifully clear here. They don't look too often because it's so beautifully clean, but we always warn them to not go beyond the island’s lagoon," he said.
