Five Italian tourists have died in a scuba diving accident within the Maldives, in line with the foreign ministry in Rome.
The tourists were within the Vaavu Atoll, attempting to explore caves at a depth of fifty metres, the ministry said in a press release.
The investigation into the incident remains to be underway by the Maldivian authorities and the embassy is involved with the victims’ families to supply all mandatory consular assistance, the ministry said.
“The Embassy of Italy in Colombo can also be involved with DAN, an insurance provider specializing in coverage for divers. DAN plans to coordinate with the local authorities to supply support each for the recovery of the bodies, offering its technical expertise, and for his or her repatriation,” the ministry said.
The insurance provider has also offered technical specialist assistance to contribute to a greater understanding of the circumstances of the incident, in line with the ministry.
“The opposite 4 divers are believed to be in the identical cave where the primary body was recovered, which extends to a depth of roughly 60 meters,” the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) said in an announcement to Italian news agency ANSA.
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The MNDF said the continued operation is “high risk” and involves specialized divers, vessels and air support.
The University of Genoa (UniGe) said the victims included Monica Montefalcone, 51, associate professor of ecology on the department of earth, environmental and life sciences; her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, 22, a UniGe student in biomedical engineering; Muriel Oddenino, 31, research fellow at DISTAV; and Federico Gualtieri, a recent UniGe master’s graduate in marine biology and ecology.
“The complete university community extends its condolences to his families, colleagues, and students who shared his personal and skilled journey,” the university added in an announcement.
It’s also reported that the fifth person was Gianluca Benedetti, the manager and diving instructor for Albatros Top Boat, the tour operator with offices in Verbania and the Maldives, in line with Genoa newspaper Il Secolo XIX.
The five divers were believed to have been exploring the cave once they went missing, in line with Maldivian presidential spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef.
“The cave is so deep that divers even with one of the best equipment don’t attempt to approach,” he told The Associated Press.
The group had been on a morning dive near Alimathaa and was reported missing after failing to surface by midday Thursday, with weather conditions described as unfavourable on the time.
The ambassador of Italy to Colombo arrived in Malé on Friday to satisfy with officials and rescue vessels of the Maldivian Coast Guard, together with police and an Italian expert diver, who reached the positioning of the incident by which the five divers lost their lives.
The Embassy of Italy in Colombo said it was also providing assistance to the opposite 20 Italians aboard the Duke of York, who took part within the expedition with the five tourists who died.
“The Embassy has been involved with the Red Crescent, which has offered to deploy trained volunteers to supply Psychological First Aid to the Italians still on board the Duke of York, amongst whom no injuries have been reported,” the ministry said. “Nevertheless, because of hostile weather conditions, it will not be yet clear whether they’ll have the opportunity to succeed in the vessel in distress, which has within the meantime moved searching for a protected harbour.”
The vessel is currently awaiting an improvement in weather conditions as a way to return to Malé.
Anna Maria Bernini, Italy’s minister of university and research, said the tragedy that has struck the University of Genoa “deeply shakes the whole Italian academic community.”
“There are pains within the face of which words usually are not enough. On this moment, I extend my most sincere thoughts to the families, to colleagues, to students and to the whole Genoese University community, struck by a loss that leaves us dismayed,” Bernini wrote in a post on X.
Cave diving is a dangerous and highly technical type of diving that requires specialized equipment and training, and strict adherence to very specific safety protocols. Even entering underwater caves positioned in shallow depths can pose significant risks.
— with files from The Associated Press
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