Two arrested over bomb blast

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A homemade bomb exploded outside the crowded Sultan Park in the capital, Male, the first such incident reported in the Indian Ocean archipelago renowned for its exclusive tourist resorts.

Government spokesman Mohamed Shareef said that police arrested the suspects hours after the blast in Male but no motive has been established yet.

"The Maldives has never had something like this before. We are taking this very seriously because tourism is our life blood," Shareef said after the blast.

The injured included two Britons, eight Chinese and two Japanese, all of whom suffered burn injuries, Shareef said.

All except the British couple, who have sustained 40% burn injuries, were discharged from hospital and immediately sent home, he said.

Shareef said it was too early to say whether the bomb targeted the tourism industry or was the work of Islamic militants, adding all possibilities would be investigated.