One night in August 1658, five months, after her departure from England, the Persia Merchant was wrecked on Maamakunudhoo Atoll, while en route to Bengal. On board were eight chests of Silver and probably gold from West Africa. Salvage ws attempted at the time of loss but was unsucessful.

Many were drowned, but the 50 survivors were well treated by the islanders and after one month they were given a good boat in which they sailed to Sri Lanka. among the survivors was Captain Roger Eilliams and the mariner-captain Roger Middleton, who wrote an account of his adventures to his family after reaching India.

Middleton said the ship filled with water quickly, leaving the survivors with nothing and within four hours she had broken into pieces. One of the boats sunk under the ship, leaving just one other to rescue the vistims. The survivors found their way by boat and broken pieces of the ship to an uninhabited island south of Makunudhoo, but without food, drink or arms.

Being without food, wee ranged about the island. Wee foun a well of water, of which wee dranke like pigeons, lifting head and harts for soe greate a mercy. Thus drinking watter, by good providence wee found coker butt trees, which is both food and rayment, soe wee went by the sea side and found little shell fish and the like, but wanting fire wee tooke sticks and rubbed them together untill they kindled, thsu wee lived heare twn or twelve dayes, not knowing weather it was better for us to be seen by the Neighbouring Islanders, for the ancient seamen sayd they would cutt our throats. Att last there arrived three of their boats full of men, which wee dreaded but could not resist.

The stricken castaways were taken to the island of Kuburudhoo (South Thiladhumnathee) "where we had fish and other good things, as hony and rice, on which wee fedd like farmers". For the price of a gold chain and a 100 dollars from one of the merchants, they obtained a vessel and sailed to Ceylon (Sri Lanka).