The President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, has given a special award to three Finnish divers who brought back the bodies of four Italian divers from a dangerous underwater cave in the Maldives. The operation was one of the most difficult diving recovery missions in recent years.
The three divers — Sami Paakkarinen, Jenni Westerlund and Patrik Grönqvist — each received the Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. This is Italy’s highest civilian honour. The President gave this award on his own decision, without anyone formally asking him to do so.
What Happened at Vaavu Atoll
On 14 May 2026, five Italian divers went underwater during a dive trip near Vaavu Atoll in the Maldives. They were passengers on a diving liveaboard boat called the Duke of York. They never came back to the surface.
The group included a university professor named Monica Montefalcone, her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, and two researchers, Muriel Oddenino and Federico Gualtieri. There was also a dive guide and instructor named Gianluca Benedetti.
Rescuers found Benedetti’s body first, about 50 metres deep inside a cave in the reef. On 18 May, they found the other four divers in a narrow tunnel that led to a deeper part of the cave. The tunnel had no exit on the other end, making the recovery work very dangerous.
Sadly, a Maldivian military diver named Staff Sergeant Mohamed Mahdhee also died during the early rescue efforts. He is believed to have died from decompression sickness — a serious medical condition that can happen when a diver comes back to the surface too quickly.
Finnish Experts Called In
After Sergeant Mahdhee’s death, the rescue operation was stopped. The international diving safety organisation Divers Alert Network (DAN) Europe then brought in the three Finnish specialists to continue the work.
The conditions inside the cave were extremely difficult. The water was deep, the passages were very narrow, and the visibility was very poor. Despite all of this, the team successfully brought back all four divers over the next two days.
Italy’s Presidential Palace officially announced the award on 30 May. It said the honour was given for the “professionalism and humanity” the three divers showed during the difficult operation.
What the Divers Said
The three Finnish divers spoke to Finnish public broadcaster Yle after hearing about the award. Grönqvist said that receiving such a big honour felt a little strange.
“It feels strange to receive such a prestigious recognition for what was, for us, a normal operation,” he said. “But of course it is nice to receive recognition, especially from the Italian state and the families.”
Westerlund agreed: “We did what we could in a very difficult situation. The conditions in the cave were extremely challenging.”
Their words show something important about professional divers who do this kind of work — they often see dangerous and emotional missions as simply part of their job, and they do not expect public praise.
Why This Award Matters
The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic is given to people who have done something very important for Italy — in areas like public service, science, culture or helping others. The fact that Italy gave this award to three Finnish divers, who came to help through an international organisation, shows how the global diving community comes together in difficult times.
All five Italian divers have now been returned to Italy. Italian authorities have started a criminal investigation into the deaths and have taken the divers’ equipment as part of their inquiry.
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.
