The small boat found near Fuvahmulah on Sunday with seven Somalis onboard might not have drifted on to the island, Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) said Monday.

The comments come hours after MNDF Major Abdu Raheem told Haveeru that no weapons or related items were found from the boat which approached the island’s ‘thundi’ Sunday afternoon. However, he later confirmed reports of a spent shell casing found in the boat.

“We could not find anything at first. But we cleaned up the boat midnight. A bullet shell was reportedly found from the waste items,” he said.

Sources from the island who witnessed the boat approaching the island said the engine was functioning and food items and fuel were in the boat. Abdu Raheem also said the boat contained drinking water.

“We now know that the engine was working and fuel and food items were in the boat. So we do not think that it drifted on to the island. That is what we can say right now. But I think we can give a final answer after a proper investigation,” he said.

On April 27, an abandoned boat suspected to be belonging to Somali pirates was discovered off Laamu Atoll just north of Huvadhu. In December 2009, fishermen in Addu atoll spotted a similar boat with seven Somalis in distress drifting off Hithadhoo. The Indian government also issued a notification, instructing Indian vessels to avoid sailing to the south and south-west of Salalah in Oman, and the Maldives.

Abdu Raheem stressed that several signs of weapon use were found from the boat.

“Signs have been found. But it can be confirmed only after an investigation. The damages to the boat might have occurred because of weapon use,” he suggested.

Sources from the island said only one Somali understand English. An islander who talked to the Somali man quoted him as saying that they were fishermen who left Somalia two months and 10 days ago in a fishing vessel. According to the Somali man, the fishing vessel caught fire while they were cooking onboard and sank on November 25.

“They said that they left in a large fishing vessel. The boat reportedly caught fire and sank while they were cooking. So they escaped in the small boat,” the islander who demanded anonymity told Haveeru.

The Fuvahmulah islander further said a sugar container and a packet of dates were found from the boat.

The boat was taken to the island and the seven Somalis were taken to the island’s hospital. However, they were in a good condition.

Police spokesperson Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said the seven are now in custody and the case is being investigated.

“No one was is in a serious condition. The people did not show signs of fatigue and a long journey. We are investigating the matter,” he said.

Abbas Ahmed, who was among the first to have found the boat, said that the Somalis were waving a piece of white cloth as they approached the island.

“I was on a picnic with my family when I saw a small boat-like thing. The people in it were waving a piece of white cloth. The sea was rough. So I asked them to come to the island,” he said.

“We did not know who they were. We took the boat to the ground by using a rope found in it. They did not know English but were saying Somalia while keeping their hands on their chests. When I told them that ‘this is Maldives’, they did not know what it is. They asked me whether ‘this is India’.”

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Source:- Haveeru.

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