Reports in local media outlets have said that two Brits have drowned in the Maldives over the past two days. The men, aged 46 and 65, both died while swimming, The Express reports.
The younger man died while swimming off the atoll of Rasdhoo shortly after 9am on Monday (March 13) morning after drowning at Hammerhead Shark Point. He was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The older man passed away in similar circumstances also off Rasdhoo, and was also pronounced dead upon arrival at hospital.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advises on its website: "Most visits to Maldives are trouble-free. The most common problems faced by visiting British nationals are lost and stolen passports, and swimming and diving related accidents.
"The sea around the Maldives can have strong tidal currents and a number of tourists drown every year. You should always take local advice before entering the sea."
The Rasdhoo Atoll is renowned for large schools of fish, however they in turn attract a lot of predatory hammerhead sharks. They dwell at a depth of roughly 60 metres, and as such divers have to take advanced training to see them.
But the sharks usually pose little harm to humans, with only 17 unprovoked attacks on record.
six years ago, Andrew Roddy, 30, from Dublin, also drowned in the Maldives while swimming with dolphins with his wife on their honeymoon. Sharon Duval also died in 2011.
Subscribe here for the latest news where you live
The Maldives is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean famed for its warm weather and beautiful beaches. It is populated with luxury hotels that attract tourists all year round.
For more stories from where you live, visit InYourArea.
