Remains of 4 Italian divers killed in a Maldives cave dive repatriated

Key Points:

• The remains of four Italian divers who died in an underwater cave in the Maldives were repatriated, following a high-risk recovery operation that faced significant challenges, including the death of a Maldivian military diver.
• Five Italian divers went missing on May 14 while exploring a cave at a depth of about 60 meters, exceeding the Maldives' recreational diving limit of 30 meters; the body of their instructor was recovered earlier outside the cave.
• Finnish expert divers assisted in locating the bodies in the innermost chamber of the cave, and two investigations have been launched: one into the divers' deaths and another into the death of the military diver involved in the recovery.
• The victims included ecology professor Monica Montefalcone, her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, marine biologist Federico Gualtieri, researcher Muriel Oddenino, and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti; some divers were not listed on the official research permit.
• Maldivian authorities noted that while the divers had a permit, the exact cave location was not disclosed, raising concerns about the oversight and safety protocols related to the expedition.