COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — The Maldives president, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, survived an assassination attempt Tuesday when a boy scout grabbed the knife of an attacker who jumped out of a crowd of people greeting the president, a government spokesman said.

"This fellow in the crowd with a knife in his hand attempted to stab the president in his stomach," Mohammad Shareef told The Associated Press. "But a 15-year-old boy came in the way and grabbed the knife. One brave boy saved the president's life."

He said Gayoom was unhurt but that there was a small cut on his shirt as the attacker, during a struggle with the boy, tried to take a second attempt. The attacker was overpowered by security men as well.

"There was blood on the president's shirt but it was not his but the boy's. Still we got a physician to examine him," Shareef said.

The teen boy scout, whose name was given only as Jaisham, had lined up to welcome Gayoom. He was flown to the capital, Male, for treatment, Shareef said.