Five Italian scuba divers, including a university professor, researchers, and a diving instructor, died during a deep-sea cave exploration in the Maldives, marking one of the deadliest diving accidents in the island nation’s history.
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Five Italian nationals lost their lives during a scuba diving expedition in the Maldives after reportedly becoming trapped while exploring underwater caves nearly 50 meters below sea level.
According to Italian authorities and Maldivian officials, the divers disappeared during a dive near Vaavu Atoll, around 100 kilometers south of the Maldivian capital, Male.
The victims were identified as Monica Montefalcone, a professor of ecology at the University of Genoa, her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, research fellow Muriel Oddenino, marine biology graduate Federico Gualtieri, and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti.
Reports said the group entered the water from the yacht Duke of York on Thursday morning but failed to resurface, prompting an emergency search operation.
Maldives military officials confirmed that one body had been recovered from a cave approximately 60 meters underwater, while the remaining four victims were believed to still be inside the cave system.
Authorities described the rescue and recovery mission as extremely dangerous due to strong ocean currents, rough weather conditions, and the complexity of the underwater cave network.
According to initial findings, the cave is divided into three large chambers connected by narrow passages, making access difficult even for experienced rescue divers equipped with specialized gear.
Italian officials said around 20 other Italian nationals aboard the diving vessel were safe and receiving assistance from the Italian Embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The yacht reportedly remains at sea, awaiting improved weather before returning to Male.
The tragedy has shocked Italy’s academic and diving communities. In a statement, the University of Genoa expressed “deepest condolences” over the deaths of its professor, researchers, and student.
Monica Montefalcone’s husband, Carlo Sommacal, described his wife as “among the best divers in the world,” saying she was highly experienced and meticulous in safety precautions.
Experts believe several factors may have contributed to the accident, including difficult sea conditions and possible oxygen toxicity, a dangerous condition that can occur during deep dives if breathing gas mixtures become unsafe at extreme depths.
Dive master Maurizio Uras told Italian media that the Indian Ocean’s strong underwater currents can create highly dangerous situations even for experienced divers.
The incident is being viewed as one of the worst single scuba diving tragedies in Maldivian history, a country globally known for luxury tourism, coral reefs, and underwater adventures.
While diving accidents in the Maldives are relatively uncommon, several fatal incidents involving tourists have been reported in recent years.
