Rescuers Recover Bodies of Four Italian Divers in Maldives Cave

A member of the team that recovered the bodies of four Italian scuba divers in the Maldives said the equipment they were found with was not optimal for cave diving. Finnish diver Sami Paakkarinen told Italian media that the bodies were located together in a deep section of the cave. He said the rescuers would not have entered the same environment without a scuba diving reel or guide rope.

The first body was found shortly after the group disappeared on 14 May. The remaining three were recovered several days later by a team of Finnish and Maldivian divers. A Maldivian rescue diver, Staff Sgt Mohamed Mahdhee, died during the search on the previous weekend. An investigation into the cause of his death is ongoing.

The five Italians entered the water at Vaavu Atoll, about 100 km south of the capital Male, on 14 May. Rough weather prompted a yellow warning for passenger boats and fishermen in the area. Among the victims were Prof Monica Montefalcone and research fellow Muriel Oddenino from the University of Genoa, who were studying the impact of climate change on biodiversity.

The other victims were Giorgia Sommacal, Federico Gualtieri, and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti. The bodies are expected to be returned to Italy on Saturday for post-mortem examinations.