Shujau Ali, president of the Baa Atoll Council and among the first responders, revealed he had no idea he was aiding a billionaire when the distress call came in during the early hours of March 21.
A high-speed boat carrying industrialist, Raymond Group Chairman and Managing Director Gautam Hari Singhania and six others capsized near Felidhoo island in the Maldives, triggering a frantic rescue operation and search for the missing. Shujau Ali, president of the Baa Atoll Council and among the first responders, revealed he had no idea he was aiding a billionaire when the distress call came in during the early hours of March 21.
“At that time, we did not know that one of them was an Indian billionaire. We provided assistance to them as ordinary citizens,” Ali told India Today’s sister channel Aaj Tak.
Singhania, 60, escaped with minor injuries and was discharged the following morning. He later returned to India alongside a British national who was also aboard the ill-fated vessel.
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According to reports, the group included two women - one British and one Russian - and five Indian men. Chaos unfolded when the boat overturned, throwing five individuals, including the Russian woman and four Indian men, into the sea.
While Singhania was swiftly rescued, two prominent figures remain unaccounted for—Indian rally driver Hari Singh and celebrated sailing expert Mahesh Ramachandran, who was reportedly captaining Singhania’s luxury yacht at the time.
Ali confirmed that several survivors were rushed to a nearby hospital, with one in critical condition. “There were five people, some of whom were rescued from the water and immediately taken to a local hospital. Two people were missing, and the search for them is still ongoing,” he said.
Amid growing speculation online, a spokesperson for Singhania dismissed circulating narratives as misleading. “Many misleading and irresponsible claims” were circulating on social media regarding the incident. The spokesperson added that the industrialist’s condition is improving and that he is monitoring the ongoing search efforts.
Authorities have since launched an extensive search mission, deploying divers and scanning vast stretches of the ocean floor.
“The search is ongoing, but the missing individuals have not yet been found,” a police official said.
