May 19, 10:39 AM
Bodies of Four Italian Divers Found in Maldives Cave After Rescue Mission Claimed Local Military Diver
Five Italians are believed to have died while exploring at a depth of 50 metres – well below the recreational diving limit of 30 metres.
The bodies of four Italian divers who drowned during a diving accident in the Maldives have been located, Italy's foreign ministry said Monday. The search had resumed after being suspended following the death of a local military diver during a perilous mission to try to reach them.
Five Italian divers are believed to have died while exploring a cave at a depth of about 50 metres in Vaavu Atoll on Thursday, according to Italy's Foreign Ministry. The recreational diving limit in the Maldives is 30 metres – meaning the group was operating well beyond standard safe depths. The body of one Italian, a diving instructor, was found earlier outside the cave.
Three Finnish divers arrived in the Maldives on Sunday to draw up a fresh plan for locating the bodies of the other four, who were believed to be inside the cave system. Maldives presidential spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef said the search was suspended after Mohamed Mahudhee, a member of the Maldivian National Defence Force, died of underwater decompression sickness after being transferred to a hospital in the capital, Malé, on Saturday.
Shareef said on Sunday that the three Finnish divers – experts in deep and cave diving – had joined the Maldives coastguard in a meeting aimed at mapping a new search strategy. Rough weather has repeatedly hampered rescue efforts. Initial teams had already dived to identify and mark the entrance to the cave system where the Italians disappeared. The cause of the deaths remains under investigation.
Five Italian divers went down to 50 metres. Only one body was found outside the cave. The other four stayed inside – until Monday. A local military diver gave his life trying to reach them. Finnish experts flew in to help. The weather refused to cooperate. The Maldives are known for turquoise waters and luxury resorts. This week, they are known for something else: a cave that does not give up its dead. The investigation continues. So does the question: why were they diving at 50 metres in the first place?
