Two boats that ran aground against a pillar of the Sinamale Bridge last night have sunk at sea. The vessels involved in the incident were an oil barge and a tug boat, both of which were under the custody of Maldives Customs Service. A video that circulated on social media showed the two boats drifting into the bridge after breaking loose.

According to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), the two boats drifted underneath the bridge and began heading out of Malé Atoll, prompting authorities to rescue the nine crew members on board. MNDF stated that the two aging oil-carrying vessels took on water and eventually sank 30 nautical miles east of Malé Atoll, beyond Maldivian waters, later that night.

The two boats had reportedly been seized this past April after entering Maldivian waters without authorisation. Relevant authorities were said to have only become aware of their presence about a week after they entered the country’s waters. Following inspections, the government and the Chinese Embassy have confirmed that the main structure of the bridge, which was built with the assistance of the Chinese government, sustained no significant damage in the incident.