5 experienced scuba divers, all Italian, died in the Maldives on Thursday. Then a military rescue diver died in the hospital after developing decompression sickness during a recovery dive on Friday. Only one of the bodies of the original missing five divers, the local in charge, has been recovered.
It is the deadliest single incident in Maldives’ diving history.
The deaths occurred during a dive from theDuke of Yorkliveaboard, in Devana Kandu, a channel near Alimathaa island in the north-east of Vaavu Atoll, some 100km south of the capital Malé in the Indian Ocean.
On Friday, Mohamed Mahudhee, a member of the Maldives Coast Guard, the maritime arm of the Maldives National Defence Force, "suffered underwater decompression sickness after searching for the bodies of the Italians who, according to Italy’s foreign ministry, had “apparently died while attempting to explore caves at a depth of 50 metres (164ft)” (which is well below the accepted safe depth range of recreational diving with ordinary equipment).
"The deceased have been identified as Monica Montefalcone, an associate ecology professor at the University of Genoa, her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, marine biologist Federico Gualtieri, researcher Muriel Oddenino and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti, whose body has been recovered.
"The causes of their deaths is unknown …"
… The Italians were passengers onboard a 36-metre luxury yacht theDuke of York,…
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/16/maldives-scuba-divers-italy-drowned-cave
"Diving Dhoni
"A traditional [locally contracted] Maldivian [diving] boat accompanying the DUKE OF YORK, equipped with 3 Coltri MCH16 and MCH13 compressors and NITROX single and double valve 15 litres available upon request."
https://www.luxuryyachtmaldives.com/boat/m-y-duke-of-york/
"Montefalcone and Oddenino were in the Maldives on an official scientific mission to monitor marine environments and study the effects of climate change on tropical biodiversity, the University of Genoa said in a statement Friday. However, the scuba diving activity during which the deadly accident occurred was not part of the planned research and was "undertaken privately," it said.
"The statement also said the two other victims - student Sommacal and recent graduate Gualtieri - were not involved in the scientific mission.
"Carlo Sommacal, Montefalcone's husband and Giorgia's father, expressed doubts over the accident, saying that "something must have happened down there" given his wife and daughter's extensive experience.
"…he described Montefalcone as a careful and highly disciplined diver who would never put her daughter or other colleagues at risk.
"…Orietta Stella, representing Albatros Top Boat, said the operator "did not know" the group planned to descend beyond 30 meters. That threshold requires special permission from Maldivian maritime authorities and the tour operator "would have never allowed it,"" she said.
Maldivian media noted that recreational diving in the country is permitted to a maximum depth of 30 metres.
"The dive far exceeded what was planned for a scientific cruise focused on coral sampling at standard depths, Stella added. The victims were experienced divers, but the equipment used appeared to be standard recreational gear rather than technical equipment suited for deep cave diving, she said.
"She also clarified that Albatros only marketed the cruise and neither owned the vessel nor employed the crew, which was hired locally.
"Cave diving is a highly technical and dangerous activity that requires specialized training, equipment and strict safety protocols. Risks increase sharply in environments where divers cannot head straight up and at depth, particularly when conditions are poor. Experts say it's easy to become disoriented or lost inside caves, particularly as sediment clouds can sharply reduce visibility.
"Diving at 50 meters also exceeds the maximum depth recommended for recreational divers by most major established scuba certifying agencies, with depths beyond 40 meters (131 feet) considered technical diving and requiring specialized training and equipment.
"The Italian Foreign Ministry said the cave is divided into three large chambers connected by narrow passages. Recovery teams explored two of the three chambers on Friday, but the search was limited due to considerations over oxygen and decompression."
https://abc30.com/post/scuba-diving-maldives-accident-5-divers-died-underwater-cave-search-4-bodies-underway-officials-say/19111904/
https://divernet.com/scuba-news/health-safety/death/five-italian-divers-die-in-maldives-cave-disaster/