Maldives’ surfers paddle out in tribute to missing Japanese surfer

MALE, June 17, 2007 (Haveeru News Service) — Maldives surfers on Friday paddled out in tribute to a Japanese surfer who went missing during the strong winds of last Tuesday.

The event was held off Male’s east coast where a group of surfers paddled out and sat on their boards in a circle, joining their hands and observing a minute of silence in true Hawaiian (where surfing is said to have originated) tradition to 25-year-old Yuta Suzuki who went missing while surfing off Thulusdhoo island in North Male atoll.

The paddle out was the first of its kind in Maldives because there has been no cases in Maldives’ recorded history of a missing surfer, local or foreign.

The Maldives National Defense Force last week appealed to anyone who might have any information on the missing persons to contact the numbers (960) 3338898 and (960) 3325981, extension number 191