Maldives teen dies waiting for air ambulance, minister blames President Muizzu’s ’animosity’ towards India

Maldivian minister Meekail Naseem blamed President Mohamed Muizzu for the teenager's death, citing negligence in arranging a prompt medical evacuation. The boy's family alleges that authorities failed to respond to their calls and provide an air ambulance.

Written By Sayantani Biswas
Updated21 Jan 2024, 11:28 AM IST
Maldives president Mohammed Muizzu could seek support from Beijing to replace Indian assets with Chinese ones.
Maldives president Mohammed Muizzu could seek support from Beijing to replace Indian assets with Chinese ones.(AFP)

Maldives minister Meekail Naseem has blamed President Mohamed Muizzu for a teenager's death in GA Vilingili in Maldives. According to reports, a fourteen year old Maldivian boy was required to be airlifted from Gaaf Alif Villingili to Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital Maldives' capital city Male.

Aasandha Company Limited, the company responsible for medical evacuations, issued an official statement and said that the Medical Section of the company had processed and approved the airlift ambulance within 12 minutes.

The 14 year old Malivian boy from Gaaf Alif Villingili, had a brain tumour and suffered a stroke, according to India Today.

The Maldivian media reports that the the family of the teenager alleges that the authorities failed to arrange medical evacuation promptly.

"We called Island Aviation to get him to Male' immediately after the stroke but they did not answer our calls. They answered the phone at 8:30 am on Thursday. The solution is to have an air ambulance for such cases," Maldivian media Adhadhu quoted the boy’s father as saying.

The Asandha Company statement is evidence that the teenager boy was brought to Male sixteen hours after the evacuation request was made.

The Aasandha Company Limited that received the emergency evacuation request said that they initiated the process to evacuate immediately after the request, but “unfortunately, due to a technical problem with the flight at the last moment, the diversion was not possible as planned”.

Maldivian minister Meekail Naseem took to microblogging site X and citing a a local media agency's coverage of the unfortunate incident wrote, “People shouldn’t have to pay with their lives to satisfy the President’s animosity towards India.”

How the events unfolded 

According to local media reports, the tragedy began unfolding when on Wednesday night the child suffered a stroke, prompting his family to request an aerial transfer to Male. 

However, their distress calls went unanswered until Thursday morning, when the Maldives' aviation authorities finally responded. 

The subsequent transfer to Male, although accomplished, was overshadowed by the child's rapidly deteriorating health. Upon arrival, the boy was immediately admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Local Maldivian media reported protests outside the hospital where the child died.

Why India matters here? 

Maldivian President Muizzu has asked India to withdraw its troops from Maldives. The barely 100 troops and a few Dornier aircrafts stationed in Maldives were reportedly utilised for humanitarian aid and supplies in the island nation. 

According to local media reports, in order to reduce Indian dependency, the Pro-China President Muizzu has grounded all Indian Dornier Aircrafts, till they are withdrawn within 15 March. A Dornier aircraft is produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and provided by India to Maldives.

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First Published:21 Jan 2024, 11:28 AM IST
Business NewsNewsWorldMaldives teen dies waiting for air ambulance, minister blames President Muizzu’s ’animosity’ towards India

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