How it all started
On December 10th, one of the divers began feeling slightly unwell. He said he felt "off", with no obvious symptoms. At the time, nobody thought much of it — feeling a little under the weather on a trip is not unusual.
Nevertheless, a decision was made to take his temperature and run a rapid Covid-19 test. The result came back positive. Precautions were taken immediately — the person who had fallen ill was isolated in a separate cabin.
On board
On December 13th the group was due to head to the airport, but the PCR test results were delayed. This created an uncomfortable situation of uncertainty — nobody knew whether they would be able to fly out on time.
The ship's crew handled the situation with understanding. Extra dives were arranged for those who were feeling well, so that the waiting time would not go to waste.
At the airport
Early on December 14th, the group made their way to the airport. The ship's crew raised no objections. At that time, the Maldives had relatively relaxed rules in place — those with a negative test result were free to move around without restriction.
The outcome
On the morning of December 15th, the test results arrived. Four members of the group had tested positive for Covid-19 antibodies. All of them had experienced the illness in a mild form — no high fever, no serious symptoms.
Takeaways
Do not travel on a shoestring with no safety margin. Always keep a financial buffer — a reserve to cover unexpected expenses such as extra nights in a hotel, rebooking flights, or medical costs.
Take out solid travel insurance that covers treatment and quarantine. Carry a supply of any medications you may need. Be prepared for plans to change — flexibility when travelling matters more than ever.
What comes next?
Despite all the difficulties, the Maldives remains one of the finest diving destinations in the world. The underwater world here is as spectacular as ever, and the infrastructure for travellers continues to develop.
