Aground boat near Nadella identified as Pakistani fishing vessel
"We had ample time to dislodge the boat, but that window has passed, and the authorities have not acted promptly", Councillor Faisal said.
By
Mohamed Muzayyin Nazim
The boat that ran aground on the reef off the island of Nadella in Gaafu Dhaalu atoll is reportedly a Pakistani trawl fishing boat that had been drifting off-course for longer than a month, Nadella island council said Monday.
The boat, which first shook a black flag indicating they needed help, was spotted near Nadella around 5.20pm on Friday. The boat ran aground the reef of the nearby uninhabited island of Rodaidhoo the next morning.
Police were alerted at 6.21pm on Friday, and they had commented:
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There were 10 Pakistanis on board
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They are in good health.
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The people on board were later taken to Nadella
Some council members from Nadella told Atoll Times that the boat had departed from Pakistan in August on a fishing trip and had been adrift since.
"According to the crewmen, the boat has been drifting for over a month," said councillor Mariyam Shafau.
Council member Faisal Najeeb said that the crew had a document from the Pakistani authorities verifying they had left their country in August.
"The document had granted the fishermen a fishing licence that expired after October," Faisal said.
Faisal added that there was no fish on board, but a lot of nets and other trawling equipment.
Some locals believed they were smuggling drugs into the Maldives, but Faisal said that no such evidence was found from the boat or from Rodaidhoo where they had crashed.
"Police had searched both the boat and the uninhabited island of Rodaidhoo," Faisal said.
There has been no word from the police regarding the allegations of a drug link between the boat or its crew. The police have not disclosed whether anything was found.
Young men from Nadella went to the area in a dinghy around 8am on Saturday to help the stranded fishermen when they saw the boat aground. Faisal said that a flag larger than the previous black flag was hoisted at the time.
"When the youth went in the dinghy, the Pakistani’s had already disembarked from their boat. They were all in critical condition," Faisal said.
Faisal noted:
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Two of the 10 men were severely affected at the time
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One had a big wound on his leg
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The other was an elderly man who had thrown up extensively; he was unable to walk on his own
They were taken to Nadella in the dinghy and the islanders assisted them in every way they could; they were given food and other supplies they required.
"Some of them did not even have their sandals. The youth collected supplies for them from different households to get them cleaned up and provided them with all basic amenities," Faisal said.
Police and MNDF arrived at 11am, according to Faisal.
The crewmen were later taken to GDh. Thinadhoo. Faisal said that the two most vulnerable people were taken to the island’s Abdul Samad Memorial Hospital for treatment and have now been discharged.
Three days after the rescue, the boat is still on the Rodaidhoo reef. Faisal said that the boat was badly damaged and it will be difficult to dislodge the boat.
"We had ample time to dislodge the boat, but that window has passed and the authorities have not acted promptly," Faisal said.
While the Pakistani boat was first sighted near Nadella on Friday, a speedboat carrying two men had also gone adrift and capsized outside AA. Maalhos on the same day. One of the men on the speedboat has been rescued, but the other is still missing in this confounding incident.
