Three individuals are unaccounted for after a cargo vessel filled with rock aggregate overturned in Laamu Atoll.

The eight-member crew of 'Friend 4' was en route from Laamu Atoll to Huvadhoo Atoll when it started to take on water.

The authorities were notified of the incident at approximately 11:22 pm on Wednesday, leading the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) and Maldives Police Service to initiate rescue operations.

Out of the eight crew members aboard the vessel, seven were successfully rescued, while the boat captain is still missing.

The MNDF verifies that a soldier and police officer participating in the rescue mission have likewise gone missing.

"At the time of the incident, the vessel had eight people on board, with seven of them now having been rescued." Three individuals have disappeared in the event. The missing individuals comprise the boat's captain, along with a soldier and a police officer engaged in the rescue efforts,” the MNDF reported.

The Coast Guard and police of MNDF are still looking for the individuals who are missing.