Bodies of Four Italian Divers Recovered from Maldives Underwater Cave
Rescuers have located the bodies of four Italian divers inside an underwater cave in the Maldives, four days after they were reported missing.
Rescuers in the Maldives have located the bodies of four Italian divers deep inside an underwater cave in Vaavu Atoll, four days after they were reported missing. The discovery was made by three Finnish diving experts, supported by the Maldives police and military. The bodies were found in the innermost part of the cave, specifically in the third and largest segment. The plan is to recover two bodies tomorrow and possibly the other two the following day.
The search had been suspended after the death of a local military diver, Mohamed Mahudhee, who succumbed to decompression sickness during a previous rescue attempt. The Finnish divers, deployed by the Divers' Alert Network Europe, are experienced in high-risk underwater environments and utilized advanced closed-circuit rebreathers to extend their dive times.
The group of five Italian divers, including a diving instructor whose body was found earlier outside the cave, were exploring at a depth of approximately 50 meters (160 feet), exceeding the Maldives' recreational diving limit of 30 meters (98 feet). Rough weather conditions have repeatedly hampered rescue efforts. The cause of the deaths remains under investigation.