FRIEND 4 SEARCH CONTINUES AS 3 REMAIN MISSING

The search for three people missing after the supply vessel Friend 4 capsized near Kudalafari has continued for 11 days, with authorities searching vast areas of the Huvadhoo Sea.

MNDF aircraft, TB2 drones, Coast Guard vessels and police boats have been involved in the operation. At the request of the Maldivian government, a US Navy P-8 maritime surveillance aircraft also joined the search.

So far, 17,220 square nautical miles by air, 2,790.10 square nautical miles by sea, and 288 square nautical miles of beaches and reefs have been searched.

The vessel sank in waters more than 1,600 metres deep, making underwater recovery extremely challenging.

Three people remain missing as the search continues.