In 2014, locals from Dhaalu Kudahuvadhoo reported seeing “low-flying jumbo jet” flying over houses early in the morning of March 8. The locals reportedly described the aircraft as being white, with red stripes across it.
It was reported heavily that it could have belonged to Malaysian Airlines MH370 which disappeared on March 8 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board.
Island Councillor Mohamed Zaheem said other residents had spoken up about the incident.
One noted that the doors on the aircraft could be seen clearly, which was agreed by other eyewitnesses.
They said: “I’ve never seen a jet flying so low over our island before.
"We’ve seen seaplanes, but I’m sure that was not one of those.
“I could even make out the doors on the plane.”
Kudahuvadhoo is about 40Km south of Meedhoo, where the MQ-9 Reaper’s wing was located. If the MQ-9 crashed within the Maldives, perhaps this could have been the aircraft spotted by the locals.