Maldives Ports Limited (MPL) has initiated an internal investigation following a fatal incident in which a landing craft capsized near the MPL harbor on Sunday evening.

The accident resulted in the deaths of two MPL employees and left several others injured. Six individuals were hospitalized following the incident. One of the victims, Masud Hossain, a 32-year-old Bangladeshi national, succumbed to his injuries shortly after being taken to the hospital. The second victim, 25-year-old Maldivian national Ali Aflah Abdulla, died in the early hours of Monday while receiving treatment.

According to the police institution, all 14 individuals who had been aboard the landing craft at the time of the capsizing have been accounted for.

None of the passengers were reportedly wearing life jackets, and preliminary reports suggest that basic safety procedures and pre-departure checks had not been properly conducted.

The absence of safety measures has raised serious concerns about operational oversight and adherence to maritime safety protocols within MPL.

In its statement, MPL confirmed that relevant departments within the company have launched an internal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, promising to disclose further details once the inquiry concludes.

The incident has once again highlighted ongoing lapses in safety enforcement in operations under state-owned enterprises, calling into question the adequacy of internal monitoring and compliance standards.