Search underway after five people die during cave scuba dive in Maldives

The search is continuing for the bodies of four Italian divers who died in a scuba accident in a deep underwater cave in the Maldives on Thursday, according to officials.

Five divers, including an instructor, were believed to have been exploring a cave in the Vaavu Atoll coral reef when they went missing, according to Maldivian presidential spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef.

The body of the fifth diver has already been recovered.

Italy’s foreign ministry said the caves are at a depth of 50 metres and that the circumstances of the divers’ death remain under investigation.

The University of Genoa named the victims as professor of ecology Monica Montefalcone, her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, who was also a student, research fellow Muriel Oddenino and marine biology graduate Federico Gualtieri.

The fifth victim has been named as boat operations manager and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti.

In a statement posted on its website, the university said: “The sympathy of the entire university community goes out to the families, colleagues and students who shared their human and professional journey.”

Maldivian officials say rescuers recovered one body from about 60 metres below the surface, but that a first round of searches failed to locate the remaining divers, who were thought to be inside the same cave.

“The cave is so deep that divers, even with the best equipment, do not try to approach,” Shareef said.

They have described their major search operation, which includes boats, aircraft, and dive teams, as high-risk.

The search teams are doing a second dive on Friday, but rough weather conditions could delay the recovery, and Maldivian officials may seek international assistance.

Italy’s foreign ministry said its ambassador and an expert were assisting the Maldivian coast guard in the search operation.

The group had been on a morning dive near Alimathaa and was reported missing after failing to surface by midday, according to initial reports.

Conditions were described as unfavourable at the time, with a yellow weather alert in effect.

The incident is believed to be the worst single diving accident in the tiny Indian Ocean nation, a popular tourist destination because of its string of coral islands.