Five Italian divers killed in Maldives cave diving tragedy

Five Italian divers were killed during a cave diving expedition in the Maldives after the group failed to resurface from an underwater cave system nearly 50 metres below sea level, authorities said.

The incident occurred in the Vaavu Atoll region near Alimathaa island, a popular diving destination around 100 kilometres south of the Maldivian capital Malé. According to reports, the group had entered a deep underwater cave network on Thursday as part of a scuba diving expedition.

Italian authorities confirmed that all five victims were Italian nationals. The victims included marine biology professor Monica Montefalcone, her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, research assistant Muriel Oddenino, diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti and marine biology graduate Federico Gualtieri, according to multiple reports.

Initial reports said the divers were exploring caves located at depths of around 50 to 55 metres when they disappeared underwater. Search operations were launched after the group failed to return to the surface.

The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF), coast guard teams and specialist divers began a large-scale recovery operation involving boats, aerial surveillance and technical diving teams. However, rescue efforts were hampered by rough weather, strong currents and the complex structure of the cave system.

Authorities said only one body had initially been recovered from near the entrance of the underwater cave, while the remaining divers were believed to be trapped deeper inside the cave network.

Reports citing diving experts said oxygen toxicity, also known as hyperoxia, was among the possible causes being examined. Medical and diving specialists quoted in reports noted that deep cave dives at such depths can become extremely dangerous due to pressure changes, visibility loss, disorientation and technical equipment failure.

According to diving publication Divernet, the cave system reportedly extends beyond 100 metres internally and is considered a technically demanding dive site associated with strong underwater currents. Experts noted that such dives generally require specialised cave-diving and technical diving certification.

Italian media reports said a yellow weather warning had been issued in the Maldives at the time of the dive due to rough sea conditions and strong winds. Authorities are examining whether weather conditions contributed to the incident.

The Italian Foreign Ministry said the country’s embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka, was coordinating with Maldivian authorities and assisting the victims’ families. An investigation into the exact cause of the accident is ongoing.

The tragedy is being described in several reports as one of the deadliest diving accidents in the Maldives’ history.