Rescuers have found the bodies of four Italian divers inside an underwater cave in a Maldivian atoll. The divers had been missing for four days. Searches resumed on Monday after a local military diver died during an initial recovery attempt.
The Maldives government stated that three Finnish diving experts discovered the bodies with support from Maldives police and military forces. According to Ahmed Shaam, a governmental spokesperson, the divers were located deep within the cave’s third segment, the largest section. The recovery plan involves retrieving two bodies on the first day and the remaining two on the following day.
A fifth Italian, a diving instructor, was previously found outside the cave. The group was diving about 160 feet deep in Vaavu Atoll. This exceeds the Maldives’ recreational diving limit of 98 feet. The Finnish experts, skilled in deep and cave diving, joined the operation on Sunday.
Maldivian presidential spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef explained that the search was initially halted after a defense force member suffered decompression sickness and died. Rough weather has also impeded rescue efforts.
The victims were identified as Monica Montefalcone, her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, marine biologist Federico Gualtieri, researcher Muriel Oddenino, and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti. Monica Montefalcone and Muriel Oddenino were in the Maldives for a scientific mission unrelated to the dive.
Benedetti’s body was recovered near the cave’s entrance. The dive exceeded recommended limits for recreational divers, highlighting the risks of cave diving. Experts emphasize the necessity of specialized training, equipment, and safety protocols due to the high risk of disorientation in underwater caves.
The Italian foreign ministry described the cave layout as three chambers connected by narrow passages. Teams faced challenges due to oxygen and decompression considerations.
This incident is noted as the most severe single diving accident in Maldives history. While diving accidents are uncommon, several fatal incidents have occurred recently, including the death of a British tourist and another incident involving a missing Japanese diver. Local reports indicate 112 tourists have died in marine-related incidents over the past six years in the archipelago.
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