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Tourists hurt in Maldives blast Tourists hurt in Maldives blast
(40 minutes later)
Twelve tourists have been wounded in a bomb blast outside a mosque in the Maldives capital of Male, the UK Foreign Office says. Twelve tourists have been wounded in a bomb blast in a park near the main mosque in the Maldives capital of Male, the UK Foreign Office has said.
Two Britons, a Japanese and eight Chinese tourists were hurt by the bomb - reported to have been homemade.Two Britons, a Japanese and eight Chinese tourists were hurt by the bomb - reported to have been homemade.
Local media said the blast was triggered using a mobile phone and washing machine motor attached to a gas cylinder.Local media said the blast was triggered using a mobile phone and washing machine motor attached to a gas cylinder.
This is the first time a bomb has exploded in the Maldives.This is the first time a bomb has exploded in the Maldives.
A British Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "Two British nationals were injured and we are seeking to confirm this with the authorities in the Maldives."A British Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "Two British nationals were injured and we are seeking to confirm this with the authorities in the Maldives."
It left 12 people with burn injuries, government spokesman Mohamed Shareef said. 'Burns and cuts'
A witness reported seeing scattered nails after the blast. She confirmed the British pair, thought to be a couple in their 30s, lived in the Gulf state of Qatar.
It is thought they were staying on Baros - one of 87 designated tourist islands in the Maldives.
A spokeswoman for Universal Resorts, which owns hotels complexes in the Maldives, said 10 of those injured, including the Britons, were staying with them.
She said: "As far as we are aware Universal Resorts have a total of 10 guests who were injured, two of whom were UK citizens that actually live in Qatar.
The Maldives has a reputation for tranquillityThe Maldives has a reputation for tranquillity
"Those two guests are being taken care of in the hospital in Male and are with Universal Resorts staff.
"They have requested that they would like to go back to Qatar as soon as possible."
She added that the injuries sustained by the couple were not considered serious.
Army headquarters
The two other injured tourists, who were not guests of Universal Resorts, are believed to be from Japan.
A Foreign Office official is flying to the Maldives to provide consular assistance. The Foreign Office does not have staff permanently based in the Maldives.
Maldives government spokesman Mohamed Shareef confirmed the blast had left 12 people with burn injuries.
A witness reported seeing scattered nails after the blast.
"The Maldives has never had something like this before. We are taking this very seriously because tourism is our life blood," he said."The Maldives has never had something like this before. We are taking this very seriously because tourism is our life blood," he said.
The park is in the shadow of the Maldives army headquarters, and several surveillance cameras are trained on the area. The park is in the shadow of the Maldives army headquarters and several surveillance cameras are trained on the area.
More than 600,000 tourists visited the Maldives last year, and the tourist industry is the linchpin of the country's economy.More than 600,000 tourists visited the Maldives last year, and the tourist industry is the linchpin of the country's economy.
The Muslim country has a reputation for tranquillity and the capital has not witnessed gunfire or explosions since an attempted coup in 1998. The Muslim country has a reputation for tranquillity and the capital has not witnessed gunfire or explosions since an attempted coup in 1988.
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