2015 Finifenmaa boat explosion

On 28 September 2015, an explosion occurred on the presidential speedboat 'Finifenmaa', where it was carrying President Abdulla Yameen, First Lady Fathimath Ibrahim, and other government officials from his administration. The boat was carrying them from Hulhulé to the Izzuddeen Faalan (presidential jetty) in Malé.[1] Yameen escaped unhurt but first lady Fathimath Ibrahim, a presidential aide, and a bodyguard was injured.[1] This explosion was labelled as an assassination attempt on Yameen but has been widely disputed.[2]

Explosion and casualties

As the boat was nearing to dock at the Izzuddeen Faalan, a loud explosion occurred on the boat. The explosion caused the speedboat's housing to fall in, and the door to break off.[1] First Lady Fathimath Ibrahim, a presidential aide, and Yameen's bodyguard were injured during the explosion and underwent treatment at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital.[1] Ibrahim suffered minor bone fractures and remained hospitalized.[3] Ibrahim was released from the hospital a month after the incident along with the presidential aide and bodyguard.[4]

Investigation

On 28 September 2016, Mohamed Hussain Shareef told reporters in Colombo that the probable cause of the blast was a mechanical issue.[5] On the same day, Yameen called for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Australian Federal Police for assistance regarding the case.[6]

A day after, an FBI agent and a team of Saudi Arabian forensic experts arrived in the Maldives.[7] A team of forensic experts from the Western Australia Police Force and from India and Sri Lanka also came to investigate.[7] They all left a week later, their findings not being made public.[8] An "advisory committee" was formed by Yameen, later turning into an inquiry committee into the explosion.[8][9] The committee was being led by Yameen and Home Minister Umar Naseer.[8]

Raajje TV cited an anonymous source which said that the explosion was caused due to the pressure accumulating in the boat's air conditioning.[10]

In October, Ahmed Thiham, Moosa Zameer, and Mohamed Jawaz from the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) were arrested in connection to the incident.[11]

Mohamed Hussain Shareef told Reuters that the blast was an assassination attempt and a press conference was called by the President's Office where the president’s spokesman also called it an assassination attempt.[12]

Colonel Ahmed Fayaz was transferred from the head of the Special Protection Group to Malé Area Command and was being held at Bandaara Koshi (MNDF headquarters).[13]

Vice President Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Ghafoor was arrested at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport in connection to the explosion and was placed under police custody.[14][15] Ghafoor was later taken to Dhoonidhoo's detention center.[16] Yameen called Ghafoor a threat to national security and accused him of using his influence within the Maldives Police Service to destroy evidence of the boat explosion.[17] Adeeb was later charged with treason.[17]

Forensic experts from Saudi Arabia found traces of RDX on the Finifenmaa boat.[18] Meanwhile a day later, the FBI said that there is no evidence that the explosion was a bomb.[19]

On 7 November, a Sri Lankan national was detained in the Maldives after possessing a sniper to kill Yameen.[20]

In December, Fayaz's lawyer challenged his administrative detention at the military headquarters and sought an order declaring his detention illegal and arbitrary.[21]

Ghafoor's lawyers claimed that he was no longer being held in custody due to the boat explosion, which the police later denied.[22][23]

In January 2016, Ghafoor's bodyguard was arrested in connection to the boat explosion.[24]

In March, Ghafoor and his bodyguards, Hassan Rikaz and Ahmed Amir, were charged with terrorism and Ghafoor was additionally charged with abuse of authority.[25] Fayaz was charged obstructing justice and law enforcement officers, Thiham and Zameer were charged with obstructing justice.[25]

Rikaz and Amir pleaded not guilty along with three other soldiers during the first trial.[26]

In May, Evidence was submitted to the Criminal Court to prove Ghafoor planned to flee after the boat blast.[27]

In June, three more soldiers were arrested.[28] Fayaz was sentenced two years along with additional three months and eighteen days on a charge of obstructing law enforcement officers, Zameer and Thiham were sentenced to four months and twenty four days.[28] Zameer and Thiham were later released.[29]

In July 2018, Amnesty International condemned the treatment of the Sri Lankan national who was alleged to be a sniper to assassinate Yameen.[30] He was later released in November.[31]

In May 2019, the High Court overturned the Criminal Court's 15 year sentence against Ghafoor and ordered retrial.[32]

In July, the High Court nullified the charges against Fayaz.[33]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Rasheed, Zaheena (28 September 2015). "Explosion on president's speedboat, President Yameen unharmed". Maldives Independent. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  2. ^ Mohamed, Rehan (28 August 2024). "Speaker questions authenticity of Yameen's assassination attempt". Sun. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  3. ^ "First lady sustained minor bone fractures in speedboat blast". Maldives Independent. 28 September 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  4. ^ "First Lady discharged from hospital". Sun. 6 November 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  5. ^ "Maldives: Govt rules out 'assassination plot' behind presidential boat-blast". Observer Research Foundation. 2 October 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  6. ^ Naish, Ahmed (26 September 2025). "Police seeking FBI assistance to investigate explosion on president's speedboat". Maldives Independent. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  7. ^ a b "FBI agent, Saudi Arabian forensic experts arrive in Malé for boat blast probe". Maldives Independent. 29 September 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  8. ^ a b c "The explosion on Yameen's speedboat: What we know so far". Maldives Independent. 18 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  9. ^ "President forms advisory committee after speedboat blast". Maldives Independent. 29 September 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  10. ^ Moosa, Hussain Fiyaz (29 September 2016). "ރައީސްގެ ލޯންޗްކޮޅުގައި ގޮވީ އެއާކޯންގެ ގޭސް ހޮޅިއެއް: އެމްއެންޑީއެފްގެ އޮފިސަރެއް" [President's launch exploded because of AC gas pipe: MNDF Officer]. Raajje TV (in Divehi). Archived from the original on 1 June 2016.
  11. ^ "Three soldiers arrested in sign of foul play in boat blast". Maldives Independent. 6 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  12. ^ "Blast on president's speedboat an 'assassination attempt,' video shows fire inside cabin". Maldives Independent. 7 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  13. ^ "Top military officers detained in boat blast probe". Maldives Independent. 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  14. ^ Bosley, Daniel (24 October 2015). "Maldives vice president arrested in probe of explosion targeting president". Reuters. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  15. ^ "Vice President Adheeb under police custody – Maldives' Government". The President's Office. 24 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  16. ^ "Maldives Vice President arrested, charged with high treason". Maldives Independent. 24 October 2025. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  17. ^ a b "Maldives president: VP a threat to national security". Al Jazeera English. 25 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  18. ^ "Saudi experts found trace of explosives on president's speedboat". Maldives Independent. 30 October 2025. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  19. ^ "FBI: No evidence that Maldives explosion was a bomb". Al Jazeera English. 1 November 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  20. ^ "Sri Lankan sniper, hired to 'assassinate president,' detained in Maldives". Maldives Independent. 7 November 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  21. ^ "Colonel detained over boat blast challenges administrative detention". Maldives Independent. 10 December 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  22. ^ "Former vice president "cleared" of boat blast allegations". Maldives Independent. 27 December 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  23. ^ "Police deny clearing former vice president of attempted murder charges". Maldives Independent. 28 December 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  24. ^ "Adeeb's military bodyguard arrested in boat blast probe". Maldives Independent. 19 January 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  25. ^ a b "Adeeb, five soldiers charged over boat blast". Maldives Independent. 15 March 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  26. ^ "Trials begin for boat blast suspects". Maldives Independent. 30 March 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  27. ^ "Evidence submitted to prove Adeeb planned to flee after boat blast". Maldives Independent. 28 May 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  28. ^ a b "Three more soldiers jailed over boat blast". Maldives Independent. 20 June 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  29. ^ "Soldiers convicted of evidence-tampering in boat blast freed". Maldives Independent. 25 June 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  30. ^ "Maldives prison treatment of Sri Lankan 'sniper' condemned". Maldives Independent. 1 July 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  31. ^ "Maldives: Lahiru Madhushanka released". Amnesty International. 22 November 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  32. ^ "High Court overturns ruling against Adeeb in Finifenma explosion, orders a retrial". Sun. 20 May 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  33. ^ "High Court nullifies former Colonel Fayaz's charges". The Edition. 24 July 2019. Archived from the original on 26 April 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2025.

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