British man, 46, dies while diving at hammerhead shark site in Maldives: One of two UK holidaymakers to drown in two days in paradise islands
- The diver, 46, drowned at Hammerhead Shark Point off coast of Rashdoo
- Tourist is second Briton to drown in waters surrounding the Maldives in two days
A 46-year-old man has died while while diving at a hammerhead shark site in the Maldives.
The tourist is the second Briton to drown in the waters surrounding the Maldives in two days.
The diver, who has not been named, drowned at the popular Hammerhead Shark Point off the coast of the atoll of Rasdhoo at 9.12 am on Monday.
The 46-year-old was taken to a hospital in Rasdhoo but was pronounced dead on arrival.
His death comes as a 65-year-old British man drowned today at around 10.30am in the waters off the coast of Rasdhoo. He was pronounced dead on arrival to the Alif Alif Atoll hospital on the island.
The diver, who has not been named, drowned at the popular Hammerhead Shark Point off the coast of the atoll of Rasdhoo (file image) at 9.12 am on Monday
The Rasdhoo Atoll is known for the arrival of huge schools of fish in the early mornings, which attract a large number of hammerhead sharks to the waters.
The hammerhead sharks are found in deeper waters at around 196 feet (60 metres), meaning that any divers who wish to see the predators must have received advanced training.
The atoll is particularly popular during the dry season between October to March when the seas are particularly calm.
Hammerhead sharks are often seen in the waters, as well as grey reef sharks, stingrays, dolphins and turtles.
Adult hammerheads can grow up to six metres in size but are regarded as harmless to humans.
There have only been 17 documented, unprovoked attacks by hammerhead sharks worldwide with zero human deaths recorded.
The 46-year-old was taken to a hospital in Rasdhoo but was pronounced dead on arrival
While rare, there have been instances of British and Irish tourists drowning in the waters surrounding the Maldives.
In 2017, Andrew Roddy, 30, from Dublin, drowned while swimming with dolphins with his wife during their honeymoon.
And in 2011, Sharon Duval drowned as she swam in the Maldives islands’ tropical waters.
The Maldives is a series of islands in the Indian Ocean popular with tourists for its warm weather and stunning beaches.
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