This Article is From Sep 29, 2015

India Offers Assistance to Maldives to Probe Speed Boat Explosion

India Offers Assistance to Maldives to Probe Speed Boat Explosion

Maldives President, Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom had a narrow escape when an explosion took place in the speedboat carrying him and a few others.

Male/Colombo: India has offered assistance to Maldives to investigate the explosion on a speedboat which was carrying President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and his wife, said the Maldivian Foreign Minister.

According to Foreign Minister, Mohamed Hussain Shareef, apart from India, other countries like the US and Saudi Arabia have also come forward to extend help in the investigation.

The 59-year-old President had a narrow escape, while his wife, Fathimath Ibrahim and two others were injured when an explosion ripped through their speedboat yesterday, as they returned home after performing Haj in Saudi Arabia.

They were travelling to Male from Ibrahim Nasir International Airport, which is located on the nearby island of Hulhule, when the incident occurred.

A team of forensics experts from Saudi Arabia and an agent from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the US have reportedly arrived in the Maldives to assist the investigation, said sources.

Five crew members of the speedboat have been summoned by the police for questioning.

Mr Gayoom came to power in a bitterly contested presidential election in 2013. He defeated Mohamed Nasheed who was jailed this year for terrorism, a case that has drawn international criticism.

Mr Shareef said that Sri Lanka's Deputy Foreign Minister, Harsha de Silva had spoken to him and offered assistance, and that Maldives had accepted the offer and sought forensic assistance to investigate the incident.
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