The body of one of the five Italian divers who died after becoming trapped in an underwater cave in Vaavu Atoll was repatriated to Italy yesterday.
The first victim to be recovered from the cave, located at a depth of over 60 meters, was dive instructor Gianluca Benedetti. A source confirmed to Adhadhu that his remains were transported to Milan via Doha on a Turkish Airlines flight.
Benedetti was an experienced professional who had worked as a dive instructor in the Maldives for seven years. As a DAN (Divers Alert Network) insurance policyholder, his repatriation was coordinated by Maldives Inc., the local agent responsible for transporting the remains of insured individuals in the event of such tragedies.
Established in 2008, Maldives Inc. is a leading firm specializing in the repatriation of deceased expatriates and tourists from the Maldives to their home countries.
The company is the Maldivian member of the World Organization of Funeral Operatives (FIAT-IFTA), the largest global association in the industry. Additionally, Maldives Inc. serves as the local service provider for Allianz Insurance, one of the world's largest insurance providers.
The company's mission is to provide internationally recognized, high-quality services in the Maldives comparable to those available to tourists globally. The company ensured that all procedures for the repatriation of the Italian national were conducted in accordance with international standards.
Of the four divers who remained trapped in the cave, two additional bodies were recovered yesterday and brought to the mortuary in Male'. Their remains will be repatriated to Italy once formal identification is complete.
In addition to the five divers, the incident also claimed the life of Staff Sergeant Mohamed Mahdhee, who passed away while participating in the rescue operation.
