A high-risk operation to recover the bodies of four Italian divers from deep inside an underwater cave in the Maldives was suspended on Friday after rough seas repeatedly hampered efforts.
The cause of the deaths remained under investigation, and the recovery operation was expected to resume yesterday.
“Unfortunately, the searches are suspended due to bad weather, but we will do everything possible to recover the bodies of our compatriots,” Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani said.
Photo: Greenpeace via AP
The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the dive group had “apparently died while attempting to explore caves at a depth of 50m” in the Vaavu Atoll on Thursday.
The victims were identified as University of Genoa associate ecology professor Monica Montefalcone, her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, marine biologist Federico Gualtieri, researcher Muriel Oddenino and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti, the Maldivian government said.
Benedetti’s body was recovered on Thursday.
Montefalcone’s husband, Carlo Sommacal, said he believed something unexpected must have occurred and ruled out recklessness on her part.
His wife was a disciplined diver who carefully weighed risks before each descent, he said, recalling her telling him at times: “This one I can do, you can’t.”
Cave diving is a highly technical and dangerous activity that requires specialized training, equipment and strict safety protocols. Risks increase sharply in overhead environments and at depth, particularly when conditions deteriorate.
Experts said it is easy to become disoriented or lost inside caves, particularly as sediment clouds could sharply reduce visibility.
Diving at 50m also exceeds the maximum depth recommended for recreational divers by most major established scuba certifying agencies, with depths beyond 40m considered technical diving, which requires specialized training and equipment.
The recreational diving limit in the Maldives is 30m.
Sommacal said his wife survived the 2004 tsunami while diving off Kenya, resurfacing with other experienced divers despite the danger.
Maldivian presidential spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef said eight divers took part in Friday’s search, and explored the depths and drew up a map for the mission.
Benedetti’s body was found near the mouth of the cave and authorities believed the remaining four had entered the cave, he said.
A deep-sea rescue expert and a cave diving expert are expected to join the recovery effort, he added.
Greenpeace Italia paid tribute to Montefalcone as a passionate advocate for marine protection, saying it would miss “her professionalism and her advice immensely” and “that special light she had in her eyes when she spoke about the wonders of the sea and the importance of protecting them.”
The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology offered condolences for all the victims, and said Montefalcone had been widely recognized for her work studying and protecting the marine environment.
The Italian ministry said the cave entered by the five divers is divided into three large chambers connected by narrow passages. Recovery teams explored two of the three chambers, but the search was limited due to considerations over oxygen and decompression.
The teams were to explore the third chamber yesterday.
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