Tourist goes missing diving off Mandhoo

Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) has launched a search operation on Saturday, after a tourist who went diving off the coast of ADh. Mandhoo was reported missing. 

MNDF said the incident was reported to authorities at 03:55 pm on Saturday. 

The missing tourist has been identified as a 69-year-old British woman. 

MNDF said that she was part of a group of tourists who went to a reef near Mandhoo on the boat ‘Goma’. 

She went into the water at approximately 02:30 pm.

However, only she was reported missing, said MNDF. 

MNDF Coast Guard have launched a search and rescue operation in response to the incident. 

“MNDF Coast Guard vessels are operating in the area to search for the missing person,” said MNDF. 

MNDF said an aerial search was also conducted using a seaplane which flew over the area on Saturday. 

MNDF said they will continue the search operation via sea and air over the next days.