The Malé City Council expresses grave concern regarding the incident in which two foreign vessels, MT KG 1 (an oil barge) and AL 1 (a tugboat), caused significant damage to the eastern reef area of Malé and to the Sina Malé Bridge.

Thes two vessels entered Maldivian waters illegally on 26 April 2026 and were subsequently held under the supervision of the Maldives Customs Service on 3^rd May 2026. While these vessels were anchored in Malé Harbour, adequate safety measures were reportedly not in place. As a result, on 10 September 2026, the vessels broke free from their moorings and drifted into the eastern reef of Malé and a pillar of the Sina Malé Bridge, causing significant damage. To date, the relevant state authorities have not publicly disclosed complete information regarding the circumstances of this incident. According to information circulating in the media, the incident appears to have resulted from failures by responsible state institutions to fulfil their legal duties relating to the monitoring and management of the country's maritime area. The Malé City Council views this situation with serious concern.

Under the Decentralization Act of the Maldives (Act No. 7/2010), the legal responsibilities assigned to the Malé City Council include the protection and management of the environment, reefs, marine resources, and municipal infrastructure within its jurisdiction.

Therefore, in connection with this incident, the Malé City Council calls upon the relevant state authorities to ensure the safety and security of Malé’s maritime area and requests that the following actions be undertaken:

1. Investigation into Institutional Negligence

Conduct an independent public inquiry into:

• How the vessels entered Maldivian waters.
• The circumstances under which they remained under Customs supervision.
• The reasons why they broke free from their moorings and drifted into the eastern reef of Malé and the Sina Malé Bridge.
• Whether any individuals or institutions were negligent in carrying out their duties.

2. Compensation for Environmental and Infrastructure Damage

• Assess the environmental damage caused to the reef through the involvement of the Environmental Regulatory Authority (ERA).
• Determine and recover compensation for the financial losses resulting from damage to the reef and Sina Malé Bridge.

3. Structural Assessment of the Sina Malé Bridge

Conduct a comprehensive engineering audit to assess:

• Damage caused to the bridge’s main pillars and platform as a result of the collision.
• The structural integrity and safety of the bridge.

The results should be made available to the public to assure citizens of the bridge’s safety.