FOUR ITALIANS FOUND DEAD AFTER MALDIVES UNDERWATER DIVING DISASTER
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Maldivian and Italian authorities have confirmed the recovery of the bodies of four Italian divers who drowned in what officials have described as the Maldives’ worst diving disaster.
The bodies were discovered on Monday inside an underwater cave in Vaavu Atoll, four days after a group of five Italian divers failed to return from a dive in the Indian Ocean tourist destination on Thursday.
According to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), the victims were located during a joint international search and recovery operation involving Italy, Britain, Australia, and dive safety experts from the Divers Alert Network.
“The bodies of four missing divers have been located inside the Vaavu Atoll cave during a joint search and recovery operation,” the MNDF said in a statement.
A fifth diver was earlier recovered on Thursday, while a Maldivian National Defence Force rescuer died during the search after suffering decompression-related complications.
Authorities said the search had to be temporarily suspended following the death of MNDF Staff Sergeant Mohamed Mahudhy, before resuming on Monday.
Officials explained that the bodies were found deep inside a cave at about 60 metres, far beyond the permitted recreational diving limit of 30 metres in the Maldives.
A government spokesman said the victims were discovered together in a deeper section of the cave than initially expected, adding that recovery operations would continue in phases.
“The plan is to recover two of the bodies tomorrow and the other two possibly the day after,” he said.
Italian authorities confirmed that those among the deceased included a marine biology professor, her daughter, and two young researchers.
The luxury vessel involved has since had its operating licence suspended as authorities investigate possible safety violations.
The Maldives, a major global tourism destination known for its coral reefs and diving attractions, has recorded several water-related fatalities in recent years, though such incidents remain relatively rare.
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