A rescue diver has died in the Maldives while searching for the bodies of Italian tourists who drowned in a scuba-diving accident, according to media reports.
The diver, a member of the Maldives National Defence Force, died while attempting to locate four bodies in an underwater cave in the Vaavu Atoll, Italian news agency ANSA reported on Saturday, citing Maldivian sources.
A total of five Italians were killed in the incident on Thursday. Only one body has been recovered so far.
The exact cause of the accident and the circumstances of the deaths remain under investigation by local authorities.
Italy’s Foreign Ministry said the group of five — including a marine biologist and a diving instructor — had been exploring a cave system with multiple chambers connected by narrow passages at a depth of around 50 metres.
Media reports suggest, however, that the group was only permitted to dive to a depth of about 30 metres. Special authorization is required in the Maldives for deeper dives, which the group reportedly did not have.
The Maldives, an island nation in the Indian Ocean south-west of Sri Lanka, is a popular destination for tourists, including snorkellers and divers drawn to its coral reefs and white sand beaches.
