A 13-year-old Maldivian boy died on Saturday after President Mohammed Muizzu reportedly refused approval to use India's Dornier aircraft to airlift the teenager. The report comes amid a diplomatic row between India and Maldives, according to the Hindustan Times.
The teenager's father was quoted as saying by Adhadhu, an online news outlet, that the child had a brain tumor and suffered a stroke on Wednesday night. He was transferred to Male' on Thursday evening.
"We called Island Aviation to get him to Male' immediately after the stroke but they did not answer our calls. They answered the phone at 8.30 am on Thursday. The solution is to have an air ambulance for such cases," the father said.
The child was brought to Male' 16 hours after the request for emergency evacuation was made. According to some media reports, the child was brought to Male' and treated in the ICU.
The people of Gaaf Alif Villingili protested near the atoll hospital on the island on Thursday due to the delay in arranging transport for the child, Adhadhu report said.