The bodies of four Italian divers who disappeared during a scuba diving expedition in the Maldives have been found inside a deep underwater cave, officials confirmed. The discovery follows days of intensive rescue operations after the group went missing near Vaavu Atoll, one of the Maldives’ popular diving destinations. Authorities say the incident is believed to be the deadliest single diving accident in the country’s history.
According to Maldivian officials, the divers were discovered inside a cave approximately 60 metres (197 feet) below the surface by a specialist team of Finnish and Maldivian rescue divers. A fifth Italian diver had already been recovered shortly after the accident occurred last Thursday.
The victims included Professor Monica Montefalcone and research fellow Muriel Oddenino from the University of Genoa, who were reportedly in the Maldives conducting marine biodiversity research linked to climate change. Also among the dead were Giorgia Sommacal, Montefalcone’s daughter and a university student, Federico Gualtieri, a recent graduate, and Gianluca Benedetti, a diving instructor and boat operations manager.
Authorities said the group entered the water near Vaavu Atoll on Thursday morning but failed to resurface. The area, located around 100 kilometres south of the Maldivian capital, Male, was experiencing rough weather conditions at the time. A yellow warning had reportedly been issued for fishermen and passenger boats due to unsafe sea conditions.
Government spokesperson Mohamed Hossain Shareef stated that the divers had permission to conduct scientific research on coral reefs and were authorised to dive to depths of up to 50 metres. However, officials said their approved proposal did not mention entering underwater caves. The cave entrance itself was located 47 metres below the surface.
The University of Genoa later clarified that it had not approved any deep-sea cave diving activities as part of the research project. In a statement, the university explained that the dive had been carried out in a personal capacity and was outside the scope of the institution’s authorised mission.
The tragedy deepened when Maldivian rescue diver Staff Sgt Mohamed Mahdhee lost his life while participating in the recovery mission. Mahdhee was part of an eight-member rescue team searching for the missing Italians on Saturday. Officials said the team realised he had not resurfaced after a dive, prompting an immediate search by fellow rescuers. He was later found unconscious underwater.
Recovery operations are expected to continue over the coming days as rescue teams work to retrieve the remaining bodies from the cave. Due to the complexity and depth of the site, officials say additional specialist dives are required.
The Maldives is internationally known for its coral reefs, luxury resorts, and world-class diving locations. However, this incident has raised renewed concerns about safety standards surrounding deep and cave diving activities in the region.
An official investigation is now underway to determine the exact cause of the accident and whether weather conditions, equipment failure, or unauthorised diving activities contributed to the tragedy.
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