Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom had a lucky escape while his wife and two others were injured when an explosion ripped through their speedboat as they returned home after preforming Haj in Saudi Arabia.
Yameen, 59, and his wife Fathimath Ibrahim were travelling to Male from Ibrahim Nasir International Airport, which is located on the nearby island of Hulhule, when the incident occurred.
Maldivian authorities said that President escaped unhurt while his wife suffered “not serious” injuries. While the reason of the blast is yet to be ascertained, it is most likely to have taken place in the engine compartment. “The explosion happened while the President and his wife were returning from the airport to Male after concluding their Haj pilgrimage,” Maldivian High Commissioner to India Ahmed Mohamed told PTI in New Delhi.