The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has confirmed that the bodies of four Italian divers missing since last week’s fatal cave diving accident in Vaavu Atoll have now been located inside the underwater cave system where the group disappeared.
The announcement comes four days after the divers became trapped during a deep cave dive that has already become one of the most devastating diving tragedies in recent Maldives history.
According to the MNDF, the discovery was made during a joint operation involving Maldivian authorities and foreign specialist cave divers arranged by the Italian government.
“In an operation conducted today by the Police Service in collaboration with foreign expert divers arranged by the Italian government, their bodies have been located. The bodies of the four tourists were found inside the cave where they had been diving,” the military said in an official statement.
Rescue Operations Resume After Suspension
The recovery mission resumed today after being suspended for two days following the death of a Maldivian military rescue diver during the operation.
The current recovery effort is being led by a team of experienced cave divers from Finland, who were deployed to the Maldives with the support of the Italian government to assist in the complex underwater mission.
Authorities stated that upcoming dives will focus on recovering the bodies from inside the cave system, where difficult conditions, depth, and limited visibility continue to complicate operations.
The divers disappeared during a technical cave dive near Vaavu Atoll while exploring a submerged cave system estimated to reach depths of around 60 meters.
Dive Team Leader Previously Recovered
So far, only the body of Gianluca Benedetti, the dive team leader accompanying the group, has been recovered.
Reports indicated that Benedetti’s body was located during the first search dives conducted on the day the group went missing. He was reportedly found near the cave entrance at a depth of approximately 60 meters.
The remaining victims are marine biology professor Monica Montefalcone, her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, research assistant Muriel Oddenino, and marine biology graduate Federico Gualtieri.
Rescue Diver Death Raises Toll to Six
The tragedy intensified further after Staff Sergeant Mohamed Mahudhy died while participating in the rescue operation.
According to Maldivian officials, Mahudhy became critically ill after a deep recovery dive and later passed away, with reports pointing to decompression sickness as the likely cause.
His death temporarily halted the operation and renewed discussion across the global diving community about the risks faced not only by technical cave divers, but also by rescue teams operating in extreme underwater environments.
The total death toll from the incident and subsequent recovery operation has now risen to six people.
Authorities in the Maldives continue investigating the circumstances surrounding the dive, including the possibility that oxygen toxicity, panic, or equipment-related issues may have contributed to the tragedy.
Mohsen Nabil is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Diventures Magazine. A mechanical engineer and scuba diving instructor based in the Red Sea, he writes about diving safety, marine conservation, underwater exploration, and developments in the global dive industry. Through Diventures Magazine, he works to connect divers, scientists, and ocean advocates while promoting responsible diving and protection of the oceans.
