The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has announced that the bodies of four Italian divers, believed to be trapped in an underwater cave at Vaavu Atoll Devana Kandu, have been located.
It has been four days since the tourists became trapped in the deep-sea cave. Military officials stated that efforts to recover the bodies will be carried out during upcoming dives. The recovery operation resumed today following a two-day suspension.
"In a joint operation conducted today by the Police Service and foreign expert divers arranged by the Italian government, the bodies have been located. The remains of the four tourists were found inside the cave where they had been diving," the MNDF confirmed.
The resumed recovery mission is being led by a team of expert cave divers from Finland, dispatched to the Maldives via the Italian government. The team is headed by Sami Paakkarinen and includes Patrik Grönqvist, both of whom are internationally renowned figures in the cave diving community with extensive experience in high-risk recovery operations.
To date, only the body of the group’s dive leader, Gianluca Benedetti, has been recovered. His remains were reportedly discovered near the entrance of the cave at a depth of 60 meters during the initial search dives on the day the group went missing.
The tragedy and subsequent rescue efforts have claimed a total of six lives. This includes five Italian divers and Staff Sergeant Mohamed Mahdhee, an MNDF officer who died while participating in the search operation.
Following the fatal incident involving the officer, the MNDF has decided that its divers participating in the search and recovery operation will not descend beyond a depth of 30 meters.
Two Maldivian companies specializing in underwater research technology, such as Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), are providing equipment to support the Finnish diving team. Maldivian military personnel are currently serving in a support capacity at designated safety stations.
The incident has sparked a difficult national debate regarding diving safety standards, the failure to adhere to regulations, the capabilities of emergency services, and the decision-making protocols governing high-stakes rescue operations in the Maldives.
