Malé: Five Italian divers died during a cave-diving expedition in the Maldives, triggering a complex underwater recovery operation that also claimed the life of a Maldivian military rescue diver.
The incident occurred in Vaavu Atoll, where the Italian group entered an underwater cave system at a depth of around 50 to 60 metres. The body of diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti was recovered on the day of the incident, while the other four divers remained inside the cave.
The victims were identified as Monica Montefalcone, her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, Muriel Oddenino, Federico Gualtieri and Gianluca Benedetti. Four of the victims were associated with the University of Genoa.
Maldivian Rescue Diver Dies During Recovery Mission
The search for the missing Italian divers became a dangerous operation for rescuers. Mohamed Mahudhee, a diver with the Maldives National Defence Force, died after suffering decompression sickness while participating in the recovery effort.
The recovery operation was described as highly challenging because the divers were located deep inside an underwater cave system consisting of chambers and narrow passages. The operation was temporarily affected by difficult conditions before specialist international divers joined the mission.
Three Finnish technical cave divers from Divers Alert Network Europe later joined the operation with specialist equipment. They helped locate the four remaining Italian divers deep inside the cave.
All Five Bodies Recovered From Underwater Cave
The recovery operation was completed in stages. The bodies of Federico Gualtieri and Monica Montefalcone were recovered first, followed by the remains of Giorgia Sommacal and Muriel Oddenino.
The final two recoveries on May 20 brought the number of recovered Italian victims to five and ended the search operation. Authorities subsequently moved toward the forensic investigation into the deaths.
The circumstances surrounding the deaths remain subject to investigation. One theory put forward by the recovery team was that the divers may have become disoriented inside the cave and entered a wrong tunnel.
According to Laura Marroni, CEO of the organization involved in the recovery effort, the four divers were found together in a dead-end corridor. The layout of the cave, including a sandbank that could reduce visibility, may have made it difficult for them to identify the route back to the entrance.
If the divers were unable to find the exit, they may have remained trapped until their breathing gas was exhausted. However, this remains a possible explanation rather than a confirmed finding. Other possible causes have also been discussed, and authorities have investigated the circumstances of the dive.
The tragedy has highlighted the extreme risks associated with deep underwater cave diving, where limited visibility, narrow passages, depth and the need for specialized equipment can make both exploration and rescue operations exceptionally difficult.
