A rescue diver has died in the Maldives while attempting to recover the bodies of five Italians who perished during a deep-sea cave dive. The tragic incident underscores the extreme risks involved in underwater cave exploration and the dangers of decompression sickness, even for highly trained divers.
Rescue Diver Dies During Recovery Operation in Maldives
Mohamed Mahudhee, a member of the Maldivian National Defense Force, died of decompression sickness, also known as “the bends,” after being transferred to a hospital in Malé, the capital of the Maldives.
According to Maldivian government spokesperson Mohamed Hossain Shareef:
“Eight rescue divers went into the water today. When they surfaced, they realized Mr. Mahudhee didn’t come up. The other divers went back into the water and found Mahudhee had blacked out. The death goes to show the difficulty of the mission.”
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani expressed condolences, noting the tragedy “unites Italy and the Maldives in grief and respect for the victims.”
Five Italian Divers Killed in Deep Cave Dive
The original accident occurred on Thursday when five Italian divers explored an underwater cave in the Vaavu Atoll at approximately 164 feet deep.
The victims included:
- Monica Montefalcone, ecology professor at the University of Genoa
- Giorgia Sommacal, Montefalcone’s daughter
- Federico Gualtieri, marine biologist
- Muriel Oddenino, researcher
- Gianluca Benedetti, diving instructor
The diving group failed to return to the surface, prompting a call from the boat crew to local authorities.
Authorities later recovered Benedetti’s body near the cave entrance but suspended further recovery due to poor weather and dangerous conditions inside the cave. The other four victims are believed to remain inside the cave.
Diving Safety Concerns and Depth Limits
Recreational scuba divers in the Maldives are generally limited to 98 feet, while the cave dive approached 200 feet, far exceeding recommended depths for recreational diving.
Officials noted that Montefalcone and Oddenino were in the Maldives on a scientific mission to monitor marine environments and study tropical biodiversity and climate change, but Thursday’s dive was undertaken privately, outside of their research activities.
Other Tourists Safe; Boat License Suspended
Around 20 other Italians aboard the dive vessel, named the Duke of York, were unharmed. The Italian embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka, coordinated assistance, and the Red Crescent offered volunteers to support those affected.
The Maldives tourism ministry has suspended the Duke of York’s license pending an investigation into the incident.
Local authorities described the event as the worst single diving accident in Maldivian history, highlighting the inherent dangers of deep-sea cave exploration.
