Finnish Divers Recover Bodies of Two Italian Tourists from Maldives Underwater Cave
An elite team of Finnish divers has recovered the bodies of two Italian tourists who died in an underwater cave in the Maldives, with plans to retrieve the remaining two bodies soon.
An elite team of Finnish divers has recovered the bodies of two Italian tourists who died in an underwater cave in the Maldives. The bodies were located on Monday at a depth of approximately 200 feet. The victims, identified as Monica Montefalcone, 52, her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, 20, Muriel Oddenino, 31, and Federico Gualtieri, 31, had been missing since last Thursday while exploring the cave. Officials have not yet identified which of the recovered remains belong to whom. The recovery operation was conducted by three Finnish divers from the Divers' Alert Network Europe, who specialize in high-risk underwater recoveries. The team utilized advanced closed-circuit rebreathers, allowing for extended dives in confined and hazardous environments. The body of diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti, 44, was recovered on Friday near the cave entrance. Maldivian Coast Guard divers had attempted a recovery on Saturday, but the mission was suspended after Sgt. Major Mohamed Mahudhee, a member of the Maldivian National Defense Force, died from underwater decompression sickness. The remaining two bodies are scheduled for recovery on Wednesday.