Maldivian authorities on Saturday suspended the search for the bodies of four Italian divers believed to be deep inside an underwater cave, after a military diver died during a perilous mission to try to reach them.
The group of five Italian divers is thought to have perished on Thursday after exploring a cave at a depth of approximately 50m (160ft) in Vaavu Atoll, according to Italy’s Foreign Ministry. This depth significantly exceeds the Maldives' recreational diving limit of 30m.
One body – belonging to instructor Gianluca Benedetti – has already been recovered.
Mohamed Mahudhee, a member of the Maldivian National Defence Force, succumbed to underwater decompression sickness. He was transferred to a hospital in the capital, where he later died, Maldives presidential spokesperson Mohammed Hussain Shareef confirmed.
“The death goes to show the difficulty of the mission,” he said.
Earlier, Mr Shareef said the searchers had prepared a plan based on their progress exploring the cave on Friday. Mahudhee was part of the group that briefed Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu on the rescue plan when he visited the search site on Friday.
Rough weather has repeatedly hampered rescue efforts.
Italian foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, said everything possible would be done to bring the victims home. His ministry stated it was coordinating with Divers Alert Network, a specialist diving organization, to support recovery operations and the repatriation of the bodies. The cause of the deaths remains under investigation.
The victims have been identified as Monica Montefalcone, an associate professor of ecology at the University of Genoa; her daughter, Giorgia Sommacal; marine biologist Federico Gualtieri; researcher Muriel Oddenino; and diving instructor Benedetti, according to the Maldivian government.
Benedetti’s body was recovered on Thursday.
Montefalcone and Oddenino were in the Maldives on an official scientific mission to monitor marine environments and study the effects of climate change on tropical biodiversity, the University of Genoa said in a statement Friday. However, the scuba diving activity during which the deadly accident occurred was not part of the planned research and was “undertaken privately,” it said.
The statement also said the two other victims – student Sommacal and recent graduate Gualtieri – were not involved in the scientific mission.
Cave diving is a highly technical and dangerous activity that requires specialised training, equipment and strict safety protocols. Risks increase sharply in environments where divers cannot head straight up and at depth, particularly when conditions are poor. Experts say it’s easy to become disoriented or lost inside caves, particularly as sediment clouds can sharply reduce visibility.
Diving at 50m also exceeds the maximum depth recommended for recreational divers by most major established scuba certifying agencies, with depths beyond 40m considered technical diving and requiring specialized training and equipment.
Mr Shareef said Benedetti’s body was found near the mouth of the cave and authorities believed the remaining four had entered the cave.
Two Italians, a deep-sea rescue expert and a cave diving expert, are expected to join the recovery effort, Mr Shareef said.
Italian officials said that around 20 other Italians on the same expedition aboard the vessel “Duke of York” were safe. Italy’s embassy in Colombo was providing assistance to those onboard and had contacted the Red Crescent, which offered to deploy volunteers to help provide psychological aid.
The Maldives tourism ministry said it has suspended the operating license of the “Duke of York” pending an investigation.
The Italian foreign ministry said the cave is divided into three large chambers connected by narrow passages. Recovery teams explored two of the three chambers on Friday, but the search was limited due to considerations over oxygen and decompression.
On Saturday, they will explore the third chamber, the ministry added.
Italian officials and the honorary consul are in contact with the victims’ families to provide assistance.
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