A soldier has passed away after falling ill while diving during an operation to recover four missing Italian divers.
The Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) identified the deceased as Staff Sergeant Mohamed Mahdhee.
"Staff Sergeant Mohamed Mahdhee of the MNDF has passed away after his condition deteriorated while diving today during the search and rescue operation to locate the four divers who went missing in Felidhu Atoll," the MNDF stated in a social media post.
Adhadhu understands that Staff Sergeant Mohamed Mahdhee، 44، leaves behind two wives and two children.
MNDF divers trained for depth of 50 metres, cave located 60 metres underwater
While one body was found, the remaining divers are presumed trapped in the 200-foot-long cave. The military is deploying specialized equipment and plans to upgrade diver training to 100 meters this year.
The five divers died during a tragic incident last Thursday inside a cave located 60 meters underwater. However, Maldivian Coast Guard divers are typically trained to dive to depths of up to 50 meters.
The MNDF confirmed that the body of one of the five missing divers was discovered inside the cave at a depth of approximately 60 meters. The bodies of the remaining four individuals are also believed to be inside the cave.
According to diving experts, the entrance to the cave is situated at a depth between 55 and 60 meters.
