Ahmed Adeeb is in detention and being charged with high treason.

President Abdulla Yameen narrowly escaped injury when a blast struck the boat he was using to return home from the airport late last month.

In recent years, the Maldives has been rocked by political infighting.

Yameen’s election has been the subject of drawn-out wrangling.

Senior police officers were sacked as a result of an investigation into the blast, a week after the president fired his defence minister.

Police confirmed they arrested Adeeb at the airport as he returned from an official overseas visit.

Home Minister Naseer said he was being held on a prison island.

Yameen was unharmed in the 28 September boat explosion, but his wife, an aide and a bodyguard were hurt.