A national security probe into the capacity of vessels operating in Maldivian waters to tackle dangerous situations has found that a great number of boat employees do not know how to use a fire extinguisher.
The Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) has thus far searched and evaluated 80 vessels, 35 of which have no insurance.
MNDF spokesperson, Captain Ibrahim Azim, said that the operation began at North Harbour in Malé City, on the 12th of February.
He said that while officers had found fire extinguishers placed in all the vessels that they had searched, some were expired, and some crew members did not know how to use extinguishers or even contact rescue services. This is concerning, given that vessels routinely carrying passengers also load diesel and other flammables.
The MNDF’s operation also looks into the validity of boat pilot licenses, the vessels adherence to safety regulations, and the state of the vessel’s marine VHF radio service equipment.
