MALDIVES PRESIDENT SURPRISE NEKTON VISIT

The President of the Maldives has paid a surprise visit to the international Nekton Mission to offer support to ocean scientists in their quest to find answers that can help unlock the secrets of the deep

 

NEWSROOM READY VERSION
DUR: 2.02
LOCATION: LAAMU ATOLL,MALDIVES
SOURCE: NEKTON
RESTRICTIONS: ACCESS ALL MEDIA, ALL PLATFORMS IN PERPETUITY. NO ARCHIVE RESALES . MANDATORY ON SCREEN CREDIT: ”COURTESY OF NEKTON”
HEADLINE: MALDIVES PRESIDENT SURPRISE NEKTON MISSION VISIT

The President of the Maldives has paid a surprise visit to the international Nekton Mission to offer support to ocean scientists in their quest to find answers that can help unlock the secrets of the deep.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih knows no maps exist of Maldivian waters beneath 30 metres - but that is changing by the hour. Four Maldivian aquanauts, who met President Solih on board, have journeyed to 500 metres below the surface in the past two days. The president saw data they collected - which Nekton marine biologists and mapping experts are now analysing. President Solih was accompanied by government ministers who explained how critical Nekton’s work is for the nation’s understanding of what lives in the deep ocean.   

SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) HUSSAIN RASHEED HASSAN, MALDIVES FISHERIES MINISTER

“The results that we get, the species that we see, the underwater features of the Maldives and the historical level of land in those years are critical things.”

SOUNDBITE SHAUNA AMINATH MALDIVES ENVIRONMENT MINISTER

We as Maldivians need to know more about our oceans, more about what is happening to our oceans and the health of our oceans as well and I think it is critical that knowledge data, the evidence you find , stays here”

Nekton has pledged all data and samples gathered on the expedition remain the property of the Maldives Government.


CONSUMER READY VERSION
DUR: 1.20
LOCATION: LAAMU ATOLL,MALDIVES
SOURCE: NEKTON
RESTRICTIONS : ACCESS ALL MEDIA, ALL PLATFORMS IN PERPETUITY. NO ARCHIVE RESALES . MANDATORY ON SCREEN CREDIT: ”COURTESY OF NEKTON”
HEADLINE MALDIVES PRESIDENT SURPRISE NEKTON MISSION VISIT

The President of the Maldives has paid a surprise visit to the international Nekton Mission to offer support to ocean scientists in their quest to find answers that can help unlock the secrets of the deep.

SUBTITLES

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih stepped aboard the Nekton mothership knowing no maps exist of Maldivian waters beneath 30 metres - but that is changing by the hour.

Four Maldivian aquanauts, who met President Solih on board, have journeyed to 500 metres below the surface in the past two days.

The president saw data they collected - which Nekton marine biologists and mapping experts are now analysing.

President Solih was accompanied by government ministers who explained how critical Nekton’s work is for the nation’s understanding of what lives in the deep ocean.   

SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) HUSSAIN RASHEED HASSAN, MALDIVES FISHERIES MINISTER

“The results that we get, the species that we see, the underwater features of the Maldives and the historical level of land in those years are critical things.”

SOUNDBITE SHAUNA AMINATH MALDIVES ENVIRONMENT MINISTER

We as Maldivians need to know more about our oceans, more about what is happening to our oceans and the health of our oceans and I think it is critical that knowledge data, the evidence you find, stays here”

Nekton has pledged all data and samples gathered on the expedition remain the property of the Maldives Government.

SHOT LIST LAAMU ATOLL MALDIVES SEPT 12, 2022 - NEWSROOM READY VERSION

1.President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih steps aboard Nekton mothership RV Odyssey off Laamu Atoll, Maldives, to be greeted by Nekton Mission Director Oliver Steeds

2.President Solih greets crew

3.President photocall with four Maldivian aquanauts who have journeyed to the deep ocean in past two days

4.Maldives Aquanaut Shafiya Naeem shows video of her September 11 maiden dive to President Solih

5.President Solih looking at screen

6. Government ministers and aquanauts with President as data is analysed

7.SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) HUSSAIN RASHEED HASSAN, MALDIVES FISHERIES MINISTER

“The results that we get, the species that we see, the underwater features of the Maldives and the historical level of land in those years are critical things.”

8.SOUNDBITE SHAUNA AMINATH MALDIVES ENVIRONMENT MINISTER

We as Maldivians need to know more about our oceans, more about what is happening to our oceans and the health of our oceans as well and I think it is critical that knowledge data, the evidence you find , stays here”

9. Omega Seamaster II submersible on deck of Nekton mothership RV Odyssey carrying Maldivian flag

9.President Solih on bridge of Nekton mothership RV Odyssey discussing Nekton’s aim to discover and 3D map an underwater seamount called which is known to be in rich fishing ground. 

10. Group photo with Nekton team

11.President leaves Nekton mothership and is thanked by Nekton Mission director

To download the media briefing in full, please click through on the link below:

Media Briefing

12 September 2022