Diver dies during search for five tourists who tragically drowned in 160ft Maldives cave accident
After reportedly entering the water on Thursday morning (14 May), five tourists died in a scuba diving accident while exploring Vaavu Atoll cave in the Maldives.
While the body of diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti was recovered, the search for the remaining four was suspended yesterday due to rough seas.
The Italian divers had ‘apparently died while attempting to explore caves at a depth of 50 metres (164ft)’. Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, said the Italian government ‘will do everything possible to recover the bodies of our compatriots’
Eight rescue divers took part in the search for their bodies, working in pairs, and the mission continued this morning. However, it has been reported that a diver from the Maldivian Coast Guard has now died during the efforts.
Staff Seargeant Mohamed Mahdhee fell ill during the search and rescue mission today and was rushed to hospital in critical condition.
Reports locally cite the likely cause as decompression sickness.
The Maldives National Defence Force announced his death on social media, writing: “His courage, sacrifice, and service to the nation will always be remembered. Our deepest condolences to his family and colleagues.”
The victims who failed to resurface after diving in the underwater cave on Thursday have been identified as Monica Montefalcone, an associate ecology professor at the University of Genoa, her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, marine biologist Federico Gualtieri, researcher Muriel Oddenino as well as the diving instructor Benedetti.
The cause of deaths remain under investigation and Professor Montefalcone’s husband, Carlo Sommacal, believes something unexpected must have occurred as he ruled out recklessness on her part. He told Italian TV channel Rete 4: “Something must have happened.”
He explained his wife was a disciplined diver who carefully weighed risks before each descent, previously telling him at times: “This one I can do, you can’t.”
Sommacal added that his wife survived the 2004 tsunami while diving off Kenya, resurfacing with other experienced divers despite the danger, and later returned to diving after a lengthy recovery from serious health complications.
“She had two lives — one on land and one in her environment, the water,” he added.
Officials have said the incident was one of the worst single diving accidents in the Maldives.
Diving at 50 metres exceeds the maximum depth recommended for recreational divers by most major established scuba certifying agencies, with depths beyond 40 metres considered technical diving, which requires specialised training and equipment.
The recreational diving limit in the Maldives is 30 metres.
LADbible has contacted the Maldives Coast Guard for comment.
Topics: Travel
Jess Battison