A speedboat collision off the coast of Villimalé on Thursday evening resulted in 13 people being hospitalised, two of whom are in critical condition, according to the Maldives Police Service (MPS). The incident occurred near western reef of Villimalé was reported to the police around 7:45 p.m.
The two speedboats involved in the accident belonged to Anantara Hotels, Resorts and Spas, and India-based Afcons Infrastructure Ltd., the contractor of the Malé-Thilafushi bridge project. Of the injured, 10 are employees of Afcons Infrastructure, while the remaining three are employees of the hotel operator.
Following the collision, all 13 injured individuals were initially taken to the hospital in Villimalé. Six were later transferred to the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in Malé for further treatment. Two of the injured are locals, according to the police.
Images and videos circulating on social media show one speedboat capsized in the water while the other appears to have sustained severe damages. The MPS is currently investigating the incident.