A military diver from the Maldives has lost his life during the search for four Italian divers who vanished while exploring underwater caves in the Maldives. The diver, Mohamed Mahudhee, a member of the Maldivian National Defence Force, succumbed to underwater decompression sickness after being transported to a hospital in the capital, Male.
According to Maldives presidential spokesman Mohammed Hussain Shareef, Mahudhee died after searching for the bodies of four Italian divers. The incident occurred following the disappearance of five Italian divers who were exploring a cave at a depth of approximately 50 metres (160 feet) in Vaavu Atoll on Thursday, as confirmed by Italy's foreign ministry. Notably, the recreational diving limit in the Maldives is set at 30 metres (98 feet).
Details of the Tragedy
Shareef remarked that Mahudhee's death highlights the difficulty of the mission. Earlier, he had stated that the search team had prepared a plan based on their progress exploring the cave on Friday. Mahudhee was part of the group that briefed Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu on the rescue plan when he visited the search site on Friday. Rough weather has repeatedly hampered recovery efforts.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani assured that everything possible would be done to bring the victims home. His ministry is coordinating with Divers Alert Network, a specialist diving organisation, to support recovery operations and repatriation of the bodies.
Victims Identified
The victims have been identified as Monica Montefalcone, an associate professor of ecology at the University of Genoa; her daughter, Giorgia Sommacal; marine biologist Federico Gualtieri; researcher Muriel Oddenino; and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti, according to the Maldivian government. Benedetti's body was recovered on Thursday.
The University of Genoa stated that Montefalcone and Oddenino were in the Maldives on an official scientific mission to monitor marine environments and study the effects of climate change on tropical biodiversity. However, the scuba diving activity during which the deadly accident occurred was not part of the planned research and was undertaken privately. The university also clarified that the other two victims, student Sommacal and recent graduate Gualtieri, were not involved in the scientific mission.
Risks of Cave Diving
Cave diving is a highly technical and dangerous activity that requires specialised training, equipment, and strict safety protocols. Risks increase sharply in environments where divers cannot ascend directly to the surface, especially at depth and in poor conditions. Experts note that it is easy to become disoriented or lost inside caves, particularly when sediment clouds reduce visibility.
Diving at 50 metres exceeds the maximum depth recommended for recreational divers by most major scuba certifying agencies. Depths beyond 40 metres are considered technical diving and require specialised training and equipment. Shareef said Benedetti's body was found near the mouth of the cave, and authorities believe the remaining four had entered the cave.
Recovery Efforts
Two Italians, a deep-sea rescue expert and a cave diving expert, are expected to join the recovery effort, Shareef said. Italian officials reported that around 20 other Italians on the same expedition aboard the vessel Duke of York are safe. Italy's embassy in Colombo is providing assistance to those onboard and has contacted the Red Crescent, which offered to deploy volunteers to provide psychological aid. The Maldives tourism ministry has suspended the operating licence of the Duke of York pending an investigation.
The Italian foreign ministry described the cave as divided into three large chambers connected by narrow passages. Recovery teams explored two of the three chambers on Friday, but the search was limited due to considerations over oxygen and decompression. On Saturday, they planned to explore the third chamber. Italian officials and the honorary consul are in contact with the victims' families to provide assistance.
