Two divers became embroiled in a confrontation around 50ft below the surface after one man was allegedly seen attempting to remove another diver’s mask or mouthpiece.
Xiao Du, a Chinese diving instructor who was off duty at the time, said he was exploring a reef in the Maldives with a friend when three other divers approached them.
Mr Du told local media that the dive site was crowded and claimed one of the men swam up from beneath him before pushing him.
As the man moved away, his fins hit Mr Du, who said he attempted to move them aside. The contact quickly escalated into a physical struggle underwater, according to his account.
Video appears to show a second man, whom Mr Du identified as a local dive guide, holding his arm. As Mr Du kicks towards the guide, another diver can be seen reaching towards his face.
Mr Du said he eventually managed to get away and confronted the group after returning to the surface.
Footage recorded later on a boat shows the Chinese instructor shouting towards a man on a nearby vessel. He says: “You came over to me and grabbed me.
“You tried to take my mouthpiece. The three of you tried to kill me underwater. Three people against one is completely unacceptable.”
Video appears to show one of the divers reaching towards instructor Xiao Du’s face. Mr Du alleges the man was trying to pull away his mouthpiece
The National Boating Association of the Maldives said the incident is under investigation
Maldives Legend Fleet, the diving company Mr Du and his friend were travelling with, confirmed that an incident had taken place involving divers from one of its liveaboard boats and a guide working for another vessel, Infinity X.
In a statement, the company said: “We are aware of a video circulating online about an incident at the Kuda Rah Thila dive site on 28 October 2026 involving divers from one of our liveaboards and a dive guide.
NEXT UP: Henry Nowak’s killer ‘abused Sikh privilege to carry knives
“We regard this matter with the utmost seriousness. Diver safety remains our highest priority, and we will continue taking every possible step to maintain a safe and respectful environment at all dive sites.
“We have heard accounts from our guests and referred the matter to the appropriate authorities. As the investigation is now in the hands of those authorities, we will not comment further on the specific circumstances.”
The Maldives Legend Fleet director of sales and marketing later confirmed that the company had suspended one of its own dive guides following the underwater confrontation.
He said: “Based on the information currently available, the confrontation began after an incident involving a guide from another vessel and one of our guests, prompting our dive team to intervene.
“We recognise that serious allegations have since been made about the conduct of one of our diving professionals.
“Those allegations, along with the complete sequence of events, must be examined carefully and impartially.”
Divers were seen intervening in the confrontation, which took place approximately 50ft beneath the surface
The National Boating Association of the Maldives, known as NBAM, said it was investigating the incident. In a statement, it expressed “serious concern” over the clash involving diving teams connected to Maldives Legend Liveaboard and Infinity X after footage spread across social media and international news platforms.
“NBAM considers this a serious matter requiring a comprehensive and impartial investigation,” the organisation said.
“Any wrongdoing, misconduct or negligence must be established properly and dealt with in line with Maldivian law.”
The association said it had urged the Maldives Police Service, the Ministry of Tourism and other relevant authorities to investigate. It also appealed to the public not to draw premature conclusions or make unverified accusations online.
The Maldives consists of 1,192 small coral islands spread across roughly 500 miles of the Indian Ocean along the equator. Its luxury resorts and secluded liveaboard boats make the country a major destination for divers from around the world.
