Bodies of Missing Italian Divers Found in the Maldives

The bodies of four Italians who went missing while scuba diving in the Maldives have been found in an underwater cave. The Maldives National Defense Force announced the discovery on Monday. The search had been ongoing since the divers disappeared last week. One body was found earlier on Thursday, the same day all five researchers went missing.

Authorities reported that the four bodies were located inside the Vaavu Atoll cave during a joint search and recovery operation. This effort involved a team from the Italian government. The search ended after an international team of rescuers examined deepwater areas looking for the lost divers. Tragically, one diver from the Maldives National Defense Forces died on Saturday due to decompression illness.

The missing group was part of a larger Italian expedition exploring the Maldives. Known for its clear waters and diving spots, the island nation hosted the expedition, which sought to investigate deepwater reefs and caves. The Thursday dive was deemed hazardous and required specialized equipment, as noted by the Maldives defense force. Fortunately, at least 20 other Italians who were part of this expedition chose not to dive and remained safe.

The missing divers included a marine scientist and her daughter. They failed to surface after exploring caves approximately 50 meters deep. A distress signal reached the Maldives coast guard at noon on Thursday. That evening, one body was found at about 196 feet, deeper than planned. The Maldives National Defense Force stated that the recovery of the four bodies would continue in the coming days.