The Maldives Police Service has stated that a gas leak is the likely cause of the explosion aboard a vessel used for sand extraction, named Nasru 7, which was docked at the AA.Maalhos lagoon.
The incident occurred around 8:45 PM on Saturday and resulted in severe burn injuries to two expatriate workers. Both victims were transported to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) and are currently receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Police suspect the explosion was triggered by a stove being turned on or a similar spark while gas was leaking on board.
“It is believed the blast was caused by an ignition, such as turning on the stove, while a gas leak was present,” a police spokesperson said.
