A United States Navy Boeing P‑8A Poseidon has carried out low‑level maritime search operations over the zone where three Maldivians were lost after the capsizing of the supply vessel Friend 4. The Poseidon’s mission yesterday covered 6,300 square nautical miles, focusing on areas identified by Maldivian authorities. Its deployment follows a formal request for international assistance as the search enters its 11th day. The individuals still missing are Captain Mohamed Hamdhoon

The aerial search for three men missing after the capsizing of the supply vessel Friend 4 has logged more than 6,112 square nautical miles in cumulative coverage, according to updated figures from the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). The vessel was travelling from Laamu Atoll towards Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll carrying rocks and aggregate when it began taking on water after being hit by a large wave late Monday night. The vessel later sank about 4.1 nautical miles from Gaafu D

The Maldives National Defence Force has expanded its aerial search to 2,544 square nautical miles as efforts continue to locate two Indian nationals missing after a launch belonging to Indian billionaire Gautam Hari Singhania capsized near Vaavu Atoll earlier this month. MNDF has deployed its Bayraktar TB2 drone operating from Maafaru and, enabling simultaneous coverage of distant sectors and repeated passes over priority areas. The TB2’s long‑endurance capability and high‑re

A fisherman reported missing from R. Vaadhoo after failing to return from a solo fishing trip has been found safe near a buoy off Alifushi on Friday morning, following an extensive overnight search operation that included the deployment of an MNDF Bayraktar TB2 drone. Mohamed Iqbal, a resident of Vaadhoo, went out alone in a small dinghy on Thursday morning. When he did not return by nightfall and could not be contacted and having left without a mobile phone; his family alert

The Government of Maldives has formally withdrawn a 2022 letter issued by former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih that altered the country’s position on the United Nations General Assembly Resolution concerning the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion on the separation of the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius. President Dr Mohamed Muizzu communicated the decision to the Prime Minister of Mauritius, marking a significant shift back to the Maldives’ earlier stance.

An MNDF Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was deployed over Male’ yesterday as fishermen staged a protest near the capital’s harbor. The drone remained airborne for nearly seven hours before returning to its base in Maafaru. The protest, organized by the Bodu Kanneli Masveringe Union (BKMU), began yesterday and is continuing today, with fishing vessels gathered off Male’s No. 1 Jetty. Fishermen are demanding the government deliver on pledges related to the purchase

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu officially inaugurated the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Gan Air Corps Station, marking a strategic expansion of the country’s aerial defense infrastructure in the southern region. photo: Vaguthu It’s the first of its kind in the south and is expected to enhance MNDF’s operational reach across the archipelago, particularly in surveillance, reconnaissance. It complements the existing drone command center in Maafaru, where the Maldives fi