Maldives: Bodies of four Italian divers found in cave; recovery expected between Tuesday and Wednesday

The bodies of the four Italians who remained missing after a tragedy occurred during a dive in an underwater cave in the Maldives have been located. Confirmation came from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while the operation remains under international coordination involving specialized divers from DAN Europe, the local Coast Guard, and Maldivian authorities. The bodies were located in the underwater cave system of Vaavu Atoll, in the area where the group had dived before failing to return to the surface.

Bodies found in Vaavu Atoll cave

According to official sources, the victims still to be recovered are Monica Montefalcone, her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, Federico Gualtieri, and Muriel Oddenino. The body of Gianluca Benedetti had already been recovered the same day as the accident. The four bodies were located in the third segment of the cave, in an area that is particularly complex from a technical and environmental standpoint. Authorities have explained that the recovery operation will not be immediate, due to the site's conformation and the operational conditions that require the utmost caution.

Recovery expected in two phases

Maldivian government spokesman Mohamed Hussain Shareef told CNN that rescuers expect to recover two of the four bodies on Tuesday and the other two on Wednesday. The timing, however, remains subject to safety conditions and the outcome of technical assessments conducted on site. The organization involved in the operation reiterated that each phase will be handled with caution, avoiding any forcing in an underwater environment considered high-risk.

The intervention of Finnish speleologists

Leading the mission are three expert Finnish cave divers from the DAN Europe network, who arrived in the Maldives with specialized technical equipment and extensive experience in highly complex search and recovery scenarios. The team coordinated with the Maldives Coast Guard and local authorities, following a planning phase focused on logistics, current assessment, depth, and cave layout. The specialists are equipped with advanced equipment, including closed-circuit rebreathers, Trimix gas, and underwater scooters, essential for safe navigation in confined and deep environments.

Dan Europe: First operational objective completed

Dan Europe confirmed that the international search and recovery team successfully completed the mission's first operational objective. The technical cave dive was conducted at the Dhekunu Kandu site in Vaavu Atoll and lasted approximately three hours. During the operation, specialists explored the system of underwater cavities, assessed environmental and operational conditions, located all four victims still missing, and gathered the information needed to plan the subsequent recovery phases.

A technically complex and emotionally difficult mission

Dan Europe describes the operation as technically challenging, emotionally intense, and operationally complex. In a statement, the organization emphasized that the next few days will be dedicated to the delicate recovery procedures, while coordination with the Maldives National Defense Force and the Italian authorities in Malé will continue. Laura Marroni, CEO of Dan Europe, described the achievement as the result of extraordinary preparation, technical excellence, and teamwork, thanking the specialists working on site for their professionalism, discipline, and humanity.

The role of the ROV and the difficulties of the currents

During the preparatory and inspection phases, a ROV, a remotely operated underwater vehicle, was also used. This was deemed essential to assess the site's conditions without further exposing the rescuers. Maldivian authorities had highlighted that the currents and depth made unplanned dives impossible or extremely risky. Each dive is time-limited and suspended if obstacles are encountered, with the divers immediately returning to the surface.

The victims and the tragedy of the dive

The tragedy occurred last Thursday, when five Italians lost their lives while diving in the Alimathà cave in the Maldives. Monica Montefalcone was a marine biologist and science communicator, also known for her television appearances. Her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, Federico Gualtieri, Muriel Oddenino, and Gianluca Benedetti also lost their lives. The group was in the archipelago as part of a marine environment mission, but several aspects of the accident, the authorizations, and the conditions of the dive remain unclear.

The words of the Gualtieri family's lawyer

Antonello Riccio, lawyer for Federico Gualtieri's family, reported that the embassy has confidentially informed the family of the identification of the bodies and the start of recovery operations. The lawyer explained that for the family, this is an important first result from a human and moral perspective, despite the dramatic circumstances. The recovery of the bodies, he specified, will be managed by the Maldivian authorities and does not appear to be immediate, precisely because of the complex context in which the bodies were located.

The families' grief and the wait for their return to Italy

For the victims' families, the identification of the bodies represents a painful but crucial step toward repatriation and a final farewell. Carlo Sommacal, Monica Montefalcone's husband and Giorgia's father, said he was informed by the Foreign Ministry and is experiencing hours of profound anguish. His thoughts, like those of the other families, are now focused on the return of their loved ones to Italy. In Omegna, Federico Gualtieri's hometown, the intention to declare a day of mourning to coincide with the funeral has also been announced.

Operations suspended after the death of the Maldivian soldier

The search was suspended following the death of Sergeant Major Mohamed Mahudhy, one of the Maldivian Coast Guard's most experienced divers, who died from decompression sickness during the search. His death further highlighted the mission's risk and prompted authorities to temporarily suspend dives, pending the arrival of international specialists equipped with the appropriate equipment to address such a challenging situation.

The issue of permissions and depth

Several questions remain about the conditions under which the dive took place. Maldivian authorities are investigating permits and depth limits, especially given that recreational diving is limited to 30 meters, while the cave is located at much greater depths. According to reports, the university team had obtained permits for marine research, but it remains unclear whether cave diving was included in the scope of permitted activities and what the actual roles of the participants were.

The University of Genoa reiterates its position

The University of Genoa clarified that Monica Montefalcone and Muriel Oddenino were in the Maldives as part of a scientific research mission to monitor the marine environment and the effects of climate change on tropical biodiversity. However, the University reiterated that the diving activity during which the incident occurred was not part of the scientific mission, but was conducted in a personal capacity. This position is part of the ongoing investigations and will be the subject of further investigation.

Italian assistance and the return of survivors

Meanwhile, the other Italians aboard the Duke of York, the vessel from which the dive began, have returned to Italy. The Farnesina, acting on the instructions of Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, is following the case and providing assistance to the families of the victims and the Italian citizens involved. The competent Italian authorities in Malé remain in contact with local institutions while awaiting the completion of the recovery procedures and the subsequent repatriation of the bodies.

An investigation into the dynamics of the accident is still open

The location of the bodies marks a decisive step forward, but it does not close the investigation. The precise details of the dive, the environmental conditions, the equipment used, compliance with safety procedures, and the authorization framework remain to be reconstructed. Only technical and documentary investigations will clarify what happened in the Vaavu Atoll cave and whether anyone is responsible. For now, the priority remains the recovery of the bodies and the return of the victims to Italy.