Maldives Govt’s Reluctance in Indian Chopper Use Allegedly Causes 13-Year-Old's Death

A 13-year-old in the Maldives died due to a delay in medical evacuation, a result of alleged reluctance on the Maldivian government’s part to use Indian choppers. The young schoolboy died at the Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in the Maldivan capital on Saturday, Sun Online outlet reported.

The government hospital said that the 13-year-old died at 11:10 am on Saturday. The hospital, however, declined to specify the cause of death, the report said. The young boy died less than two days after his family raised concern over the delay in his transfer from Vilingili to Male.

India has a deployment of about 89 personnel, including medical staff, to operate three aircraft — two naval choppers and a Dornier aircraft — to patrol the archipelago’s vast maritime territory. The fate of Indian choppers and aircraft remains uncertain as the Maldivian government insists on expelling Indian military personnel responsible for operations and maintenance.

President Mohamed Muizzu has called for the withdrawal of Indian troops by March 15, despite ongoing talks to find a “workable” solution. The controversy over the boy’s death deepened as Maldives Defence Minister Mohamed Ghassan defended the decision not to use Indian choppers, saying that 93 percent of evacuations were still conducted by Maldivian Airlines.

Ghassan stressed that standard operating procedures for medical operations did not necessitate notifying or seeking permission from the President, a statement made via social media amidst growing criticisms. The situation underscores strained relations between India and the Maldives. Muizzu came to power last September after pledging to cultivate “strong ties” with China. His trip to Beijing this month was his first state visit since becoming president.