A massive search effort is ongoing for a man who went missing after a fire engulfed and sank a passenger boat travelling from Laamu Atoll to Malé on Thursday night.

The missing individual has been identified as 25-year-old Ali Mushfiq Mohamed Shareef of Laamu Maavah. According to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), the fire broke out aboard the Holhudhoo Boat at approximately 9:07 p.m. The vessel was completely destroyed and sank by 2:07 a.m.

Eighteen people, including the captain, were on board at the time of the incident. Seventeen passengers were successfully rescued, while Mushfiq remains unaccounted for.

The MNDF launched an immediate multi-agency operation to locate Mushfiq, deploying three Coast Guard vessels, divers, and aerial drones. A surface search covering 53.04 square nautical miles has been completed, along with an underwater search spanning 64,240 square metres and an aerial sweep of roughly 1,545 square miles (4,000 square kilometres).

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. However, Laamu Maavah Council President Ahmed Moosa has indicated that an electrical short circuit may have triggered the blaze. He confirmed that all survivors are currently safe in Maavah, with no reported injuries.

Authorities have advised vessels in the area to remain cautious, as debris from the sunken boat continues to drift in surrounding waters. The search for Mushfiq remains ongoing by sea, air, and underwater.