14 March 2023 , 12:26
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Two Brits have died after drowning in a paradise island holiday hotspot in just a matter of two days.
One 46-year-old man died while diving at a hammerhead shark site in the Maldives.
The diver, who has not been named, drowned at the popular Hammerhead Shark Point off the coast of the atoll of Rasdhoo at 9.12am on Monday.
He was taken to a hospital in Rasdhoo but was pronounced dead on arrival.
A second Briton, 65, also drowned in waters off the coast of Rasdhoo.
Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him
He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Alif Alif Atoll hospital on the island.
On the UK Foreign Office website, the government said: "Most visits to Maldives are trouble-free. The most common problems faced by visiting British nationals are lost and stolen passports, and swimming and diving related accidents."
One 46-year-old Brit died while diving at a hammerhead shark site (Getty Images)"The sea around the Maldives can have strong tidal currents and a number of tourists drown every year. You should always take local advice before entering the sea."
The Rasdhoo Atoll is known for the arrival of huge schools of fish in the early mornings, which attract a large number of hammerhead sharks to the waters.
The hammerhead sharks are found in deeper waters at around 196 feet (60 metres), meaning that any divers who wish to see the predators must have received advanced training.
There have only been 17 documented, unprovoked attacks by hammerhead sharks worldwide with zero human deaths recorded.
In 2017, Andrew Roddy, 30, from Dublin, drowned while swimming with dolphins with his wife during their honeymoon.
And in 2011, Sharon Duval drowned as she swam in the Maldives islands' tropical waters.
The Maldives is a series of tropical islands in the Indian Ocean popular with tourists for its warm weather and stunning beaches. It is populated with luxury hotels which are popular all year round.