Fight breaks out among divers at Kudarah Thila in Ari Atoll; Chinese instructor alleges attempted murder

A fight broke out among divers at a depth of 18 meters at the dive site “Kudarah Thila” in Ari Atoll, with attempts made to remove one person’s fin, mask, and regulator. The victim of this incident is identified as Xiao Du, a Chinese scuba diving instructor. Du, who has been diving since 2019, stated that the altercation began when a male diver approached him, suddenly punched him, and made hand gestures. He explained that he had to kick the individual away for self-protection after trying to move away, while another man came and held his arm. Du suspects that three men surrounded him during the altercation and attempted to remove his fin, mask, and regulator. Furthermore, he claims that upon boarding the boat after finishing the dive, some people on the boat directed verbal threats at him. According to Du’s description, this was an attempt to kill him underwater. “I don’t know these people; they came close to me themselves. They were trying to hold my body, take the mouthpiece from my mouth, and kill me underwater. Three people against one is very bad,” Du said. In an interview with a Chinese newspaper, Du stated that he would file a complaint with the Maldives Police Service and noted that video footage of the incident had been shared on social media. In connection with this matter, the National Boating Association (NBAM) has called on the police and the Ministry of Tourism to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation.