After the confrontation between the expatriates and the Maldivians at Baa Atoll Bodufinolhu, an island being develop as a tourist resort, took a violent turn, when 200 or so expatriates took about 15 locals hostage.

And as the failed attempts to control the situation lead to one police officer being injured, both police and the MNDF were mobilized and prepared to send teams from Male’ City.

Meanwhile, one hostage escaped and swam to the neighboring island of Thulhaadhoo.

Talking to One Online, a man in Thulhaadhoo said that the hostage swam and reached the island around 10:02 p.m. last night and has confirmed that there are about 200 expatriates controlling the island and from about 15 hostages, some of them have been tied up.

The information received indicated that the expatriates on the island had demanded that they get paid; which they had not received for about six months according to sources.

As large teams of police, including about 60 officers of the Special Operations (SO) department and MNDF officers were travelling to Bodufinolhu, police also began talks with the hostage takers through the Bangladeshi Embassy in the Maldives, towards a peaceful resolution.

Since the previous attempts of rescue were faced with rock and metal rods being thrown at the vessels that tried to dock at the island and one officer along with the boat captain getting injured due to the barrage, if the negotiations towards a peaceful end breaks down, police and MNDF had decided to use force to control the situation.

One Online then got the news that the SO officers were preparing to move on the island. And so, a large police force, about 60 SO officers that went to the atoll from Male’ City and 50 or so officers from the islands in the area, departed towards Bodufinolhu island.