In brief
The search for the missing Italian divers has ended in tragedy with the discovery of four bodies in a deep-sea cave in Vaavu Atoll. The incident marks one of the worst diving accidents in Maldives' history, which is also mourning the loss of a Maldivian rescue diver. The Italian group was engaged in scientific research but faced adverse conditions during their dive.
The bodies of four Italian divers who went missing during a scuba diving accident in the Maldives last week have been located, officials confirmed. The Italians were found inside a 60-metre-deep cave in Vaavu Atoll by a joint team of highly trained Finnish and Maldivian divers. The body of a fifth Italian diver, a member of the group, was recovered shortly after Thursday's accident. Unfortunately, a Maldivian rescue diver also died while searching for the bodies of the group.This incident is believed to be the worst single diving accident in the tiny Indian Ocean nation, a popular tourist destination known for its coral islands. Mohamed Hossain Shareef, a spokesperson for the Maldivian government, indicated that further dives would be necessary to recover the bodies, which were located in the cave’s third section, farthest from the entrance. The initial victim's body was found near the cave's entrance shortly after the incident.The group of divers included Prof. Monica Montefalcone and research fellow Muriel Oddenino from the University of Genoa, studying the impact of climate change on biodiversity. They were accompanied by Giorgia Sommacal, Prof. Montefalcone's daughter, and Federico Gualtieri, a recent graduate, along with diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti.The divers entered the water in rough conditions, about 100km south of the capital, Male. While they had permission to study coral, regulations did not mention the cave in their proposed dive plan. An investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the accident.
