Three Finnish divers arrived in the Maldives on Sunday to help plan a new search for four Italian divers believed to be deep inside an underwater cave. The initial search was suspended after a Maldivian military diver died during a perilous mission to reach them.
The group of five Italian divers likely died exploring a cave at a depth of about 160 feet, 50 meters, in Vaavu Atoll on Thursday. The recreational diving limit in the Maldives is 98 feet, or 30 meters.
Maldives presidential spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef said the search was suspended after Mohamed Mahudhee, a member of the Maldivian National Defense Force, died of underwater decompression sickness. Mahudhee was buried with military honors on Saturday night, with President Mohamed Muizzu in attendance.
Rough weather has repeatedly hampered rescue efforts. The Italian Foreign Ministry said search operations on Saturday involved eight local divers working in shifts to locate the bodies.
The victims have been identified as Monica Montefalcone, associate professor of ecology at the University of Genoa; her daughter, Giorgia Sommacal; marine biologist Federico Gualtieri; researcher Muriel Oddenino; and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti. Benedetti’s body was recovered from near the mouth of the cave, and authorities believe the other four entered the cave.
Montefalcone and Oddenino were in the Maldives on an official scientific mission, but the deadly dive was undertaken privately, according to the University of Genoa. The dive far exceeded the planned coral sampling at standard depths. The tour operator denied authorizing the deep dive, saying it would have never allowed it.
Cave diving at such depths is highly technical and dangerous, requiring specialized training and equipment. The Italian Foreign Ministry said the cave has three large chambers connected by narrow passages. Recovery teams explored two chambers but were limited by oxygen and decompression concerns.
