Maldives president unhurt in blast on his speed boat

Maldives President Abdulla Yameen was unhurt in a blast on his speedboat on Monday as it approached Male, the capital of the Indian Ocean archipelago, a senior aide has reported.

Unidentified injured people are evacuated after a blast on the…

“The explosion happened while the President and his wife were returning from the airport to Male after concluding their Haj visit”.

Mr Yameen was uninjured but cabinet minister Mohamed Shareef told the BBC that the first lady, Fathimath Ibrahim, and two others were hurt by the “relatively large blast”.

A journalist who was at the jetty to cover Gayoom’s arrival said a blast was heard as soon as the boat docked.

“There was a explosion at President Yameen’s official speedboat near Male jetty”. The president is seen leaning towards his injured spouse to help her, but his security detail quickly moved to transfer him to the accompanying police speedboat. “MNDF will comment on that after conducting a thorough investigation”, Shareef told the television station, adding that that first lady was undergoing tests at the hospital’s observation room.

At least 24 people were onboard the boat with all of them being rushed to nearby hospitals when the fire broke out.