A Panama-flagged cargo ship that ran aground on the reef west of K. Rasfari on Thursday will be released after a compensation deal is achieved, the Maldives transport ministry has said.
The ship, Navios Amaryllis, was travelling from India to South Africa with 19 Filipino crew members, all of whom are safe and unharmed.
Deputy Minister Hamad Abdul Ghanee revealed during a news conference that the ship ran aground after becoming stranded in open ocean after one of its engines was turned off. He also claimed that the negligence of the ship’s captain had a role.
He added that officials have begun an investigation into the damage done to the protected reef, and that the ship will not be allowed to leave until a compensation agreement is reached.
The Environmental Protection Agency noted that the details of the damage done to the Rasfari reef can only be examined after the cargo ship is refloated.
Navios Amaryllis was going from India’s Tuticorin port to South Africa’s southern port when it came aground in Maldives seas.
