The bodies of two out of four Italian divers trapped in an underwater cave at Vaavu Atoll’s "Devana Kandu" were recovered today.
The recovery comes five days after the divers became trapped in the cave. Their bodies were located yesterday. The recovery operation is currently being led by a team of expert cave divers from Finland, who were dispatched to the Maldives with the assistance of the Italian government.
According to the expert team, the operation utilized modern equipment, including rebreathers, underwater scooters (DPVs), and advanced life-support systems.
The Finnish team retrieved the bodies from within the cave and brought them to a depth of 30 meters. From that point, dive teams from the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and the Maldives Police Service transported the bodies to the surface.
"Special thanks go to the Italian Embassy, DAN Europe, and the Maldivian authorities for assisting the team — this operation requires the efforts of dozens of people," said Sami Paakkarinen, as part of the Finnish rescue team.
DAN Europe stated that if weather conditions remain favorable, the bodies of the remaining two divers are expected to be retrieved and brought to the surface tomorrow.
Of the five individuals who entered the cave, three bodies have now been recovered. The first to be retrieved was the dive team leader, Gianluca Benedetti, who was guiding the group of tourists. The identities of the two individuals recovered today have not yet been confirmed.
A total of six people have lost their lives in connection with this incident. This includes the five Italian divers and Staff Sergeant Mohamed Mahdhee, who died while participating in the rescue efforts on Saturday.
The tragedy 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 processes during high-stakes rescue operations in the Maldives.
