The Italian government has posthumously conferred its highest civilian honour upon Staff Sergeant Mohamed Mahdhee, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) officer who lost his life during a recovery operation for a group of Italian tourists trapped in a sea cave at Vaavu Atoll.
The honour was presented during a special ceremony held last night at Barceló Nasandhura to mark Italy’s National Day. The Italian Ambassador to the Maldives, Damiano Francovigh, presented the medal and commemorative certificate to Mahdhee’s family.
The Italian government awarded Mahdhee the "Gold Medal for Civil Valour," the nation's highest distinction for exceptional acts of courage and public service.
This prestigious award is reserved for individuals who demonstrate extraordinary bravery and selflessness, often at the risk of their own lives, to save others or perform acts of significant civic merit.
In a gesture of support for Mahdhee’s family, the Italian Embassy in Colombo and the Honorary Consular Agency of Italy in Malé have also established a fund.
The fund is open for public contributions via bank transfer to a designated account, with the opportunity to donate remaining open until December 31.
Official authorities stated that Mahdhee went missing after completing a dive with seven other military divers. He was located by a police diving team and transported to the hospital in critical condition, where he was later pronounced dead.
However, sources informed Adhadhu that Mahdhee was unresponsive and had no pulse when he was brought to the surface. Despite immediate attempts to perform CPR, he could not be resuscitated.
While the police are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding Mahdhee’s death, no details have been released to date. Authorities have yet to provide answers to inquiries from the media regarding the ongoing investigation.
