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A perilous hunt for nan bodies of 4 Italian divers missing heavy wrong a Maldivian cave was halted Saturday aft a subject diver died during nan mission.
Mohamed Mahdi, a personnel of nan Maldivian National Defense Force, died from decompression sickness during nan vulnerable mission, Maldives statesmanlike spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef said.
A group of 5 Italian divers vanished Thursday during what investigators opportunity was an unauthorized heavy dive that acold exceeded nan Maldives’ recreational diving limit.
The victims included marine researchers and knowledgeable divers, among them Monica Montefalcone, an ecology professor astatine nan University of Genoa; her daughter, Giorgia Sommacal; marine biologist Federico Gualtieri; interrogator Muriel Oddenino; and diving coach Gianluca Benedetti, according to nan Maldivian government.
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Mohamed Mahdi, a personnel of nan Maldivian National Defense Force, died from decompression sickness during nan vulnerable mission, officials said. (Maldives National Defense Force)
Gianluca Benedetti was recovered dormant adjacent nan cave entranceway soon aft nan group disappeared. Authorities judge nan bodies of nan 4 remaining divers are trapped heavy wrong a cave strategy astir 160 feet underwater adjacent Vaavu Atoll.
The origin of nan deaths remains nether investigation.
Monica Montefalcone, 1 of 5 Italian scuba divers who died adjacent Alimathaa successful nan Maldives archipelago while exploring an underwater cave, is shown successful this undated photograph released by Greenpeace Italia connected May 15, 2026. (Greenpeace Italia/AP)
Carlo Sommacal, Montefalcone’s hubby and Giorgia’s father, expressed doubts complete nan accident, saying that "something must person happened down there" fixed his woman and daughter's extended experience.
Speaking to Italian TV, he described Montefalcone arsenic a observant and highly disciplined diver who would ne'er put her girl aliases different colleagues astatine risk.
Search crews opportunity sadistic underwater conditions, constricted oxygen and nan complexity of nan cave strategy person made recovery efforts highly dangerous.
Divers hole to hunt for 4 missing Italian divers adjacent Alimathaa Island, Vaavu Atoll, Maldives, connected May 15, 2026. (Maldives President's Media Division/AP)
"The decease goes to show nan trouble of nan mission," a authorities spokesperson said aft Mahdi’s death.
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The Italian Foreign Ministry said nan cave strategy consists of 3 ample chambers connected by constrictive passages. Rescue teams explored 2 chambers Friday but were forced to extremity because of decompression risks.
Officials are now awaiting nan presence of 3 Finnish cave-diving specialists to reassess nan operation.
Officials successful nan Maldives said nan effort to scope nan 4 missing Italian divers was suspended aft nan decease of Mahdi. (Maldives National Defense Force)
Albatros Top Boat, an Italian circuit usability that managed nan diving trip, denied authorizing nan descent and said nan divers appeared to beryllium utilizing modular recreational instrumentality alternatively of specialized cogwheel required for method cave diving, its lawyer told Italian regular Corriere della Sera connected Saturday.
The Maldives Tourism Ministry has suspended nan operating licence of nan expedition alloy progressive successful nan travel arsenic nan investigation continues.
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Experts pass cave diving is among nan world’s most vulnerable underwater activities, particularly astatine utmost depths wherever visibility tin vanish instantly and flight routes go limited.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
