A Maldivian military diver has died while searching for the bodies of four Italian divers believed to be deep inside an underwater cave.

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu’s political party has swept parliamentary elections in a strong endorsement of his pro-China foreign policy.

Maldivians are voting in parliamentary elections, in a ballot crucial for President Mohamed Muizzu, whose policies are keenly watched by India and China as they vie for influence in the archipelago nation.

The Maldives government says it has asked for clarification of why the Indian coast guard boarded three Maldivian fishing vessels within its economic zone earlier this week without consultation.

The Maldives government has confirmed giving clearance to a Chinese ship to dock in its port, a move which could further irk India with whom the tiny archipelago nation is involved in a diplomatic spat.

The relationship between India and the Maldives is facing challenges after officials in the tiny island nation made derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s posts that promoted the pristine beaches of India’s Lakshadweep archipelago.