2 crewmen on capsized boat have drug records: Police
However, the purpose of the trip will be clear only after the investigation is completed, police said.
By
Shahudha Mohamed
The two men that left Male on 6 October, reportedly headed to AA. Ukulhas, on a speedboat that was found capsized the next day near Maalhos of the atoll have drug records, police said on Saturday.
In the mysterious incident, the speedboat was found capsized on Friday, the day after it had reportedly left Male:
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One of them went adrift and was found walking up the shore of AA. Feridhoo’s rocky beachside; he was brought to Male for further treatment at the request of his family after being treated at the Feridhoo Health Centre first.
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The other man, Mohamed Minhaj, 28 of Minha/S.Hithadhoo is still missing
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Search for the missing person was conducted jointly by MNDF and the coast guard, and the search was concluded on 11 October after having searched a total of 2,000 square nautical miles swept by air and a total area of 665 square nautical miles swept by sea.
In response to a question at a press conference, police inspector Mohamed Samih said that although the two men who boarded the boat had drug records, it was still difficult to determine whether the trip they had gone on was drug-related.
Head of Crime Investigation Command, chief superintendent Mohammad Bashir said:
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Ali Ahmed, Goodluck/Lh.Hinnavaru survived the incident; his interrogation is in progress
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The information given by Ali Ahmed regarding the incident is not reliable
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Minhaj yet to be found; though the search operation for him has been called off, the investigation is still on
During the police investigation, Ali Ahmed said:
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The two were out fishing
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The boat capsized due to rough seas
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He had seen Minhaj in the sea with him for a certain time since the boat capsized
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Minhaj was not sighted anywhere in the morning; he was missing from that point on
According to the police, given the presence of a lot of fuel on the boat and the location where it was found capsized, it is unlikely that they were out for fishing. However, the purpose of the trip will be clear only after the investigation is completed, police said.
The missing person’s family had reported his disappearance to the police on 7 October before anybody had found out the boat had capsized. According to Minhaj's family, he had gone missing on 5 October around 1pm, which is 24 hours prior to the time the boat had reportedly left Male taking off from near Marry Brown on Boduthakurufaanu Magu.
Although MNDF had publicised Minhaj’s identity during the search they had conducted, authorities have not provided further information about the incident since the search operation was called off on 11 October.
