On May 23, 2026, the remains of four Italian divers who died in an underwater cave in the Maldives were returned to their homeland. A spokesperson for the Maldivian government confirmed this.
The divers went missing on May 14 while exploring a cave about 160 feet underwater in Vaavu Atoll. At that time, their Italian diving instructor’s body was recovered outside the cave and sent back to Italy. A recovery operation faced challenges and was halted after a local military diver, Mohamed Mahudhee, died during the mission.
Three Finnish experts in deep and cave diving ultimately located the bodies last week, finding them in the cave’s innermost chamber at a depth of around 200 feet, or 60 meters. The Maldives’ diving limit for recreational purposes is approximately 98 feet, or 30 meters.
Mohamed Hussain Shareef, the Maldives President’s Spokesman, announced that two investigations were underway. One focuses on the divers’ deaths, while the other examines Mahudhee’s death in the line of duty. Italy has agreed to share any autopsy results of the repatriated bodies.
The deceased were identified as associate ecology professor Monica Montefalcone from the University of Genoa; her daughter, Giorgia Sommacal; marine biologist Federico Gualtieri; researcher Muriel Oddenino; and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti. The bodies were reportedly found “pretty much together,” according to Maldivian government spokesperson Ahmed Shaam.
Italy’s La Repubblica reported they were found in a dead-end chamber. The CEO of Dan Europe, the Finnish organization that retrieved the bodies, explained that the group may have become disoriented within the cave. “Considering their limited air supply and only a few minutes at the bottom, they likely had no time to try finding the exit,” said Marroni.