Finnish rescue divers have proposed a new theory regarding the deaths of five Italian divers who perished while exploring deep-sea caves in the Maldives. The final two bodies were recovered on Wednesday, a week after the incident, which is believed to be the deadliest scuba diving accident in the country's history.
The divers were exploring a cave in Vaavu Atoll when they disappeared. The body of their diving instructor was later found outside the cave, while Finnish recovery divers brought two other bodies to the surface on Tuesday from a depth of 60 metres. Professional divers from Dan Europe discovered the remaining bodies in a dead-end corridor within the cave complex.
Laura Marroni, CEO of Dan Europe, suggested that the divers may have taken a wrong turn while trying to exit the caves. The cave near Alimatha requires a 50-metre dive to reach a large bright cavern, which connects to a dark second chamber via a 30-metre corridor with very little light. Marroni explained that a rising sand bank at one end of the second chamber can create an illusion of a wall, potentially leading divers down a wrong path to a dead end instead of the exit.
The divers were using tanks holding approximately 12 litres, providing only 10 minutes to visit the second cave. Marroni hypothesised that if they went down the wrong corridor, panic would have reduced their oxygen supply further. “Realising that the path is the wrong one and having little air, perhaps after going back and forth, is terrifying. Then you breathe quickly and the air supply decreases,” she said.
The group was led by Monica Montefalcone, 51, a marine ecologist and professor at the University of Genoa, who was a regular diver in Maldivian waters. The group included her daughter Giorgia, student Muriel Oddenino, researcher Federico Gualtieri, and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti. The cave has been explored before but is known for challenging conditions, including difficult terrain, strong currents, and poor visibility.
Other experts have suggested different theories, such as the group being sucked into the cave and running out of oxygen. Maldivian authorities are continuing their investigation.
