Family claims cries for help from Ihavandhoo boat crash victim were ignored

"When my father fell into the sea, he screamed and shouted at them [the people on the launch] and they ignored him. My father didn't die at that time," very bravely, Ali Shareef said about his father's last moments.

Last night was a sad one for the whole of HA Ihavandhoo. Abdul Rasheed, 68, who everyone got along with, who was friendly and who everyone is used to seeing, passed away in a tragic accident at sea.

Abdul Rasheed died in a dangerous accident when a launch hit the boat he and his son were on while they were fishing near Ihavandhoo. The boat was being driven by Abdul Rasheed, who had been fishing for many years. In the accident, Abdul Rasheed fell into the sea as he was hit by the launch.

His son Shareef, who went fishing with Rasheed on the boat around dusk last night, told Sun about the incident occurred at sea last night with sadness. He said his father died due to someone's negligence. He accused the eight people on the launch.

Sharing the story, they left ignoring his father’s calls from the sea. He also said that the people on the launch said when giving information to Ihavandhoo police and the health center that they were aware that someone had fallen into the sea and that they heard someone calling out.

He said the launch hit the boat and went flying over the boat 20 or 25 feet away. So they will have heard the cries for help, he said. He noted that in addition to his father, he also called out for help.

He said it was very difficult to control the boat at the time.

"There was no steering wheel in the boat, there was no way to slow down or accelerate, there was no way to change gears. By the time I went to rescue my father after I turned the engine off, he had gone under,” Shareef said.

A while after he had disappeared, Abdul Rasheed was picked up from the sea and brought to the Ihavandhoo Health Centre for treatment. However, he died not long after he was brought in for treatment.

Speaking to Sun regarding the incident, a council member from Ihavandhoo, Ahmed Rilwaan, also said that the incident occurred due to the negligence of the occupants of the launch. He said there was negligence on the part of the people on the launch when they were aware someone fell into the sea and left someone to die after hearing a cry for help.

"From all the information given to the police and the island's health center, they knew very well that someone fell from the boat. They also mentioned they heard someone calling for help. They said they just went because their dinghy was taking on water. From that moment on, their negligence is evident,” Rilwaan said.

He added that the boat was fully equipped for night fishing and diving. He noted that the boat also had bright lights, diving fins and masks onboard.

He said this was the first time in his life that Ihavandhoo had experienced such a major sea accident. He also noted that this incident reminded him of tragic incidents in the past.

"The previous incident of the Enamaa boat came to mind for me," Rilwaan said.

He said he believed such an incident would put the people involved into tension. However, he said that he does not believe that it is right to let someone die and leave the scene of the accident. He said the incident showed the launch as more important to the occupants of said vessel than a person's life.

Further, Rilwaan said that justice is needed for this.

"We don't want the negligent parties to end up without a trial," Rilwaan said.

Police have not yet said whether there was any negligence in the case or whether they are investigating such a case. The occupants of the launch could not be reached for comment as their identities have not been disclosed.