MALE, Maldives (AP) — Specialized diving experts from Finland reached the Maldives on Sunday to develop a new strategy for locating the remains of four Italian divers thought to be trapped deep within an underwater cave system. Recovery operations had been temporarily halted following the death of a local military diver during the dangerous rescue attempt.
According to Italy’s Foreign Ministry, the group of five Italian divers is thought to have perished while exploring an underwater cave approximately 50 meters (160 feet) below the surface in Vaavu Atoll on Thursday. This depth significantly exceeds the Maldives’ recreational diving restriction of 30 meters (98 feet).
Presidential spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef announced that recovery efforts were paused after Mohamed Mahudhee, a member of the Maldivian National Defense Force, succumbed to underwater decompression sickness following his transfer to a hospital in the capital on Saturday.
On Sunday, Shareef confirmed that three Finnish specialists with expertise in deep water and cave diving operations had reached the island nation and met with Maldives coastguard officials to plan a revised search approach.
Mahudhee received a military funeral with full honors on Saturday evening, which President Mohamed Muizzu attended. The deceased diver had been among those who briefed Muizzu about the rescue strategy during his visit to the search location on Friday.
Challenging weather conditions have continuously interfered with recovery operations.
Saturday’s search activities included eight local divers working in rotation shifts to find the victims, according to the Italian Foreign Ministry. Earlier teams had already descended to locate and mark the cave system entrance where the Italians vanished. The circumstances leading to their deaths are still being investigated.
Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated that every effort would be made to return the victims to their homeland. He expressed sympathy for the loss of the Maldivian diver who died during the rescue mission.
The Maldivian government has identified the victims 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.
Benedetti’s remains were found on Thursday close to the cave opening. Officials believe the other four had ventured inside the cave structure.
The University of Genoa stated on Friday that Montefalcone and Oddenino had traveled to the Maldives for an official research mission to observe marine ecosystems and examine climate change impacts on tropical biodiversity. However, the university clarified that the diving activity that resulted in the fatal incident was not connected to their planned research and was conducted for personal reasons.
The university’s statement also noted that the two additional victims — student Sommacal and recent graduate Gualtieri — were not participating in the scientific expedition.
Carlo Sommacal, Montefalcone’s husband and Giorgia’s father, questioned the circumstances of the incident, stating that “something must have happened down there” considering his wife and daughter’s substantial diving experience.
In an interview with Italian television, he characterized Montefalcone as a cautious and highly disciplined diver who would never endanger her daughter or fellow divers.
The Italian tour company responsible for organizing the diving excursion denied giving permission for or having knowledge of the deep dive that broke local regulations, according to its attorney who spoke to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera on Saturday.
Orietta Stella, representing Albatros Top Boat, stated the company “did not know” the group intended to dive below 30 meters. Such depths require special authorization from Maldivian maritime officials and the tour operator “would have never allowed it,” she explained.
The dive greatly surpassed what had been arranged for a scientific expedition focused on coral collection at normal depths, Stella noted. While the victims were skilled divers, the gear they used seemed to be standard recreational equipment rather than technical apparatus appropriate for deep cave diving, she observed.
Cave diving represents an extremely technical and hazardous pursuit requiring specialized instruction, equipment and rigorous safety measures. Dangers multiply dramatically in settings where divers cannot ascend directly to the surface, especially at significant depths during poor conditions. Specialists warn that becoming confused or lost inside caves is common, particularly when stirred sediment severely limits visibility.
Diving at 50 meters also surpasses the maximum depth suggested for recreational divers by most major established scuba certification organizations, with depths beyond 40 meters (131 feet) classified as technical diving requiring specialized instruction and equipment.
The Italian Foreign Ministry described the cave as containing three large chambers linked by narrow corridors. Recovery teams examined two of the three chambers on Friday, though the search was restricted due to oxygen supply and decompression concerns.
Italian authorities reported that approximately 20 other Italians on the same expedition aboard the vessel “Duke of York” remained safe. Italy’s embassy in Colombo was assisting those on board and had reached out to the Red Crescent, which offered to send volunteers to provide psychological support.
The Maldives Tourism Ministry announced it had suspended the “Duke of York’s” operating license while an investigation proceeds.
