Remains of Italian Divers Repatriated After Tragic Maldives Incident

The bodies of four Italian divers, who tragically died in an underwater cave in the Maldives, were returned home early Saturday. A spokesperson for the Maldivian government confirmed this development.

On May 14, five Italian divers disappeared while exploring a cave located about 160 feet underwater in Vaavu Atoll. The body of their instructor was previously found and repatriated.

The recovery of the deceased divers faced significant challenges. The operation was halted temporarily after Mohamed Mahudhee, a Maldivian military diver involved in the mission, lost his life.

Three expert Finnish divers joined the effort, eventually locating the bodies last week. They were found in the innermost chamber of the cave, approximately 200 feet deep. The Maldives imposes a recreational diving limit of about 98 feet.

Ongoing Investigations

Mohamed Hussain Shareef, spokesman for the Maldivian President, announced the initiation of two investigations. One examines the divers’ deaths, while the other looks into Mahudhee’s demise. Italy has agreed to share autopsy results if they are conducted on the returned bodies.

Images captured on May 19 show Red Crescent responders and police transferring the bodies of the tourists in Male. The victims have been identified as:

• Monica Montefalcone, associate professor at the University of Genoa
• Giorgia Sommacal, her daughter
• Federico Gualtieri, a marine biologist
• Muriel Oddenino, a researcher
• Gianluca Benedetti, the diving instructor

Details of the Incident

According to government official Ahmed Shaam, the bodies were discovered “pretty much together.” La Repubblica, an Italian newspaper, reported that they were inside a dead-end chamber. The CEO of Dan Europe, the Finnish group responsible for the recovery, suggested that the group might have become disoriented.

“Given their limited air supply, they probably couldn’t make multiple attempts to find the correct exit,” noted CEO Marroni.