The our bodies of 4 lacking Italian scuba divers who died final week have been discovered, Maldives authorities mentioned Monday, following a fraught mission to find them in an underwater cave.
5 Italians died whereas exploring the Vaavu Atoll caves on Thursday, prompting a multinational effort to search out and retrieve their stays.
Certainly one of them was found that very same day on the entrance to the maze-like cave. Worldwide cave divers teamed up with Maldivian specialists to attempt to find the stays of the opposite 4.
The operation resumed Monday following a brief suspension after a navy diver misplaced his life.
Three Finnish divers from the Divers Alert Community (DAN), a world scuba security group, joined a fourth skilled and the native coastguard to develop a brand new technique on Sunday. Specialist tools is being offered by the UK and Australia, in line with Mohamed Hussain Shareef, the chief spokesperson for Maldives authorities.
Shareef mentioned the 4 lacking Italians had been positioned within the deepest a part of the ocean cave, and that the rescuers plan to get better their our bodies within the coming days.
Who’re the divers?
Diving teacher Gianluca Benedetti’s physique was discovered on the mouth of the cave, main authorities to consider the opposite 4 Italians stay inside, Shareef mentioned.
They’re Monica Montefalcone, an affiliate professor of ecology on the College of Genoa; her daughter Giorgia Sommacal; marine biologist Federico Gualtieri; and researcher Muriel Oddenino.
Muriel Oddenino, Federico Gualtieri, Monica Montefalcone, Gialunca Benedetti and Giorgia Sommacal. – Fb/College of Genoa/Albatros Prime Boat/Instagram
A sixth diver determined to not enter the water when the remainder of the group dove in, authorities confirmed.
The group had been on a scuba diving expedition aboard the Duke of York vessel, in line with Italy’s international ministry.
The Pink Crescent provided to supply psychological First Support to an general 20 Italians who remained onboard and no accidents had been instantly reported, the ministry added.
The try and retrieve the 4 lacking our bodies claimed one other life, underscoring the peril and complexity of the restoration effort.
Senior navy diver Sgt. Mohamed Mahudhee, 43, died on Saturday throughout a second restoration mission into the cave, which at its deepest level is 70 meters (230 toes) under the floor (about as deep as a 20-story constructing is tall), and 200 meters lengthy.
“He was one of the senior divers, which exhibits simply how difficult this dive is,” Shareef mentioned.
What occurred on Monday’s restoration mission?
Maldivian divers reentered the water on Monday –– joined by DAN cave divers –– and started with a security evaluation of the cave.
Components thought-about may have been if there was “too robust of an underwater present” or “if the morphology of the cave was secure sufficient for his or her planning,” Laura Moroney, DAN’s CEO, instructed CNN’s Newsroom forward of the dive.
The staff was geared up with underwater scooters and specialised fuel tanks that may recycle air, permitting for extra time on the dive.
The 4 Italians had been then discovered collectively within the third, and largest, cave section which divers reported to be even greater than initially assumed, in line with the Maldives president’s media workplace.
The operation was a joint effort by divers from DAN, Maldives coast guard and native police who plan to get better their our bodies on Tuesday and Wednesday, a spokesperson mentioned.
Requested at what level the mission turns into too harmful, Moroney mentioned: “The staff is aware of they don’t have to place themselves in danger… if there may be any situation they deem to be too harmful, they are going to cease the dive, return to floor, replan after which dive once more the following day, or at any time when potential.”
Rescue diver dies from decompression illness
Authorities consider navy diver Mahudhee, a member of the nationwide protection drive, died from decompression illness – brought on by a speedy lower in stress that surrounds you, of both air or water.
Decompression illness is most typical in scuba or deep-sea divers, however can even occur throughout high-altitude or unpressurized air journey, in line with Harvard Well being.
Divers put together to seek for the 4 lacking Italian divers close to Vaavu Atoll, Maldives, on Could 15, 2026. – Maldives President’s Media Division/AP
Every dive within the Maldives restoration mission is proscribed to round three hours because of oxygen and decompression necessities, Shareef mentioned.
Nonetheless, situations are extraordinarily difficult, with unpredictable robust currents, slim passageways resulting in an unlimited cave chamber, and pitch-black darkness all through, Shareef mentioned.
“You must be an skilled for this stage of diving,” he added.
Throughout Saturday’s restoration operation, two divers marked the cave entrance by taking pictures a balloon as much as the water’s floor. This allowed different crew to swim immediately towards it and maximize their time inside.
Earlier than resurfacing, divers should keep in shallow water to decompress after ascending from the cave’s depths.
Authorities consider Mahudhee, a member of the nationwide protection drive, died from problems throughout this course of.
“He was diving in a pair, as per protocol, and returning to the floor when his associate realized one thing was improper and the remainder of the staff jumped in to attempt to save him,” Shareef mentioned.
Mahudhee was laid to relaxation with full navy honors at a ceremony within the Maldivian capital Malé, the place 1000’s paid their respects together with President Mohamed Muizzu, tourism and navy officers and international ambassadors.
Maldives has in depth water security protocols and skilled divers, Shareef mentioned, noting the archipelago’s ocean territory is round 3,000 instances bigger than its landmass.
What occurred to the Italian divers?
That is but to be decided.
John Volanthen , a British Cave Rescue Council diving officer, who performed a key position within the rescue of Thai youth soccer staff in 2018, mentioned it’s unknown whether or not currents performed an element within the incident, however that the cave’s depth and silt is what’s “unquestionably hampering” restoration efforts.
“It’s primarily a really good distance into the cave and usually, cave divers would lay a tenet to search out their method into the cave. And that’s doubtlessly what occurred with the lacking get together,” he instructed CNN.
Panic can even have an effect on divers, Volanthen mentioned, with dangers rising on deeper dives because of narcosis – a brief, intoxicating state from respiratory compressed air.
“It additionally makes it extra possible that you simply’re inebriated or primarily unable to manage your self,” Volanthen added.
“And in order you begin to go deeper, that narcosis impact doubtlessly may create panic, but in addition would make them much less possible to have the ability to discover their method out.
“And likewise, if the cave turns into silty, as is regular for one of these cave for those who contact the partitions or the ground, discovering the best way out turns into rather more troublesome.”
Carlo Sommacal, Montefalcone’s husband and Giorgia’s father, was not sure what may have triggered the accident, saying that “one thing will need to have occurred down there” given his spouse and daughter’s in depth expertise.
A coast guard boat and different vessels deployed to seek for the 4 lacking Italian divers close to Alimathaa Island, Vaavu Atoll, Maldives, on Could 15, 2026. – Maldives President’s Media Division through AP
Talking to Italian TV, he described Montefalcone as a cautious and disciplined diver who would by no means put her daughter or different colleagues in danger, the Related Press reported.
He recalled her telling him at instances: “This one I can do, you possibly can’t” and the way his spouse survived the 2004 tsunami whereas diving off Kenya, the outlet mentioned.
Questions on dive’s legality
An investigation is underway to determine what occurred to the divers – and the way all of them reached such depths.
“For leisure and business diving, by legislation, no one is allowed to go additional than 30 meters and sadly, this seems to have occurred loads deeper as a result of even the cave’s mouth is sort of 50 meters below,” Shareef mentioned.
The vessel’s license has been suspended pending the outcomes of the probe, in line with Shareef, who mentioned: “Every little thing might be regarded into.”
The Italian tour operator that manages the Maldives diving journey denied authorizing or realizing concerning the deep dive that violated native limits, its lawyer instructed Italian each day Corriere della Sera on Saturday, in line with an AP report.
Orietta Stella, representing Albatros Prime Boat, mentioned the operator “didn’t know” the group deliberate to descend past 30 meters. Crossing that threshold requires particular permission from Maldivian maritime authorities and the tour operator “would have by no means allowed it,” she mentioned.
The Italian divers had been skilled, however the tools used seemed to be commonplace leisure gear relatively than technical tools fitted to deep-cave diving, she mentioned.
She additionally clarified that Albatros solely marketed the cruise and neither owned the vessel nor employed the crew, which was employed regionally.
CNN has contacted Albatros Prime Boat for remark.
Italy’s international minister Antonio Tajani mentioned every thing potential can be executed to return their stays, AP reported.
Italian connection
Maldives is extremely reliant on tourism, welcoming greater than 2 million guests in 2025, in line with its tourism ministry, in contrast with a resident inhabitants of 500,000.
Italy-based diving tour operator George Corbin is credited with introducing tourism to the previous British colony in 1972.
Since then, Italy has persistently ranked amongst Maldives’ largest tourism markets.
“Italy has a really particular relationship with us in the case of tourism, and we’ve been nice associates in our hospitality for a few years,” Shareef mentioned.
“Native persons are devastated not simply because that is the most important diving accident ever on this nation but in addition as a result of they’re Italians.”
The Maldivian and Italian governments have been in communication “on the highest stage,” with Muizzu sending his “deepest condolences” to Italian President Sergio Mattarella and the households of the deceased and lacking, Shareef mentioned.
Rome’s envoy to the nation joined rescuers aboard a coast guard ship on Friday, Italy’s international ministry mentioned.
CNN’s Manveena Suri, Chandler Thornton and Sharon Braithwaite contributed to this report.
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