India, March 24 -- Hopes are fading for the rescue and recovery of Indian motor racing star Hari Singh and sailing stalwart Commander Mahesh Ramchandra, 72 hours after their speedboat crashed in the Maldives on early Friday.

The search and rescue teams of the Maldivian police and Maldivian National Defence Force which have been scouring the seas since Friday morning and rescued five of the seven persons involved in the accident, have however extended their search operations to seven days, said friends of Singh.

The missing duo is part of a group holidaying on Raymond Industries' chairman Gautam Singhania's yacht Ashena parked in the Indian Ocean at Maldives. On Friday, after partying on board, Singhania and his guests reportedly decided...