Gautam Hari Singhania, Chairman and Managing Director of Raymond Group, was injured, and two Indian nationals remain missing after a speedboat overturned near Felidhoo Island in the Maldives, local media reported.
There were seven people on board the vessel near Vaavu Atoll early Friday morning, including two women, a British national and a Russian national, and five Indian men, as per PTI.
Police said five people fell into the sea when the vessel overturned, including the Russian woman and four Indian men.
Singhania, 60, who was among the tourists, has been rescued. Citing police, news portal Adhadhu reported that he sustained minor injuries in the accident and was discharged from the hospital after treatment.
“The two missing persons are Indian nationals,” police said, adding that search operations are ongoing, reported PTI.
“The speedboat belongs to his yacht, TT Ashena. The Maldivian Coast Guard is still searching for the two people who went missing in the accident,” Adhadhu reported.
PTI sources said the vessel involved was a Cigarette racing boat, designed to be driven at high speeds.
The Maldives National Defence Force’s Male Area Command Coast Guard Second Squadron is conducting the search for the missing individuals. The incident occurred about two nautical miles southwest of Keyodhoo, MNDF said.
Boat suffers damage amid rough sea conditions near Mumbai, 130 passengers evacuated to safety
In a similar incident last year, a major mishap was averted when a tourist boat carrying 130 passengers from the Gateway of India, Mumbai, to Mandwa in Raigad district suffered damage owing to rough sea conditions.
Around 5.30 pm, the fibre boat, operated by Ajanta Company, departed Gateway of India with 130 passengers on board.
When the boat was approximately 1 to 1.5 km away from Mandwa Jetty, strong sea winds caused a wave to hit the fibre boat, creating a hole and allowing water to enter in it.
Upon noticing the situation, the passengers on board immediately called Mandwa Jetty for help. Speedboats were promptly dispatched to the location, and all 130 passengers were safely brought to shore at Mandwa Jetty.
The Ajanta Company’s passenger boat was also safely towed and brought ashore at Mandwa Jetty.
(With PTI inputs)
Raymond Group chief Gautam Singhania injured as speedboat capsizes in Maldives
