Rescuers have located the bodies of four Italian divers in an underwater cave in the Vaavu Atoll, Maldives. The recovery follows a suspended search due to the tragic death of a local military diver.
The search resumed after being paused when Mohamed Mahudhee from the Maldivian National Defense Force succumbed to underwater decompression sickness. This illness led to his eventual transfer to a hospital in the capital.
Five Italian divers reportedly went missing on Thursday while exploring at a depth of about 50 meters. This depth exceeds the Maldives’ recreational diving limit of 30 meters.
The body of one Italian, identified as a diving instructor, was discovered outside the cave. Searches intensified after this finding.
“The search involved three Finnish divers, deep diving specialists, who arrived on Sunday. They worked alongside Maldives police and military,” said Ahmed Shaam, a government spokesperson.
Use of underwater drones was considered, although it is not clear if the bodies were directly seen by divers or captured via cameras. Authorities are now planning to retrieve the bodies.
President Mohamed Hussain Shareef expressed the impact of rough weather on rescue efforts. Initial teams had marked the cave entrance, but the cause of the divers’ deaths remains under investigation.