Five Italian nationals have died in a scuba diving accident in the Maldives, Italy’s foreign ministry in Rome said, in what is believed to be the deadliest single diving incident recorded in the island nation.
“The divers are believed to have died while attempting to explore caves at a depth of 50 metres,” the ministry said, adding that the incident occurred in Vaavu Atoll.
According to available information, four of the victims were members of a University of Genoa team. They included ecology professor Monica Montefalcone, her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, who was also a student, as well as research fellow Muriel Oddenino and marine biology graduate Federico Gualtieri. The fifth victim was identified as Gianluca Benedetti, a boat operations manager and diving instructor.
The Maldives’ military reported that one body had been recovered from a cave approximately 60 metres underwater, while the remaining four divers were believed to be in the same location. It added that divers equipped with specialised gear had been deployed to the area, describing the ongoing search operation as a very high-risk effort.
Local media reported that the five Italians entered the water on Thursday morning, May 14.The crew of the diving vessel they were traveling on raised the alarm after the group failed to resurface.
Police said weather conditions in the area were rough at the time of the incident. The site lies about 100 kilometers south of the capital, Malé, where authorities had issued a yellow warning for passenger boats and fishermen.
In a statement posted on X, the University of Genoa expressed its “deepest condolences” to the victims.
While diving and snorkeling incidents are relatively uncommon in the Maldives, several fatal accidents have been reported in recent years. In December last year, an experienced British female diver died in a scuba incident near the island resort of Ellaidhoo, and her husband died five days later after falling ill. In 2024, a Japanese lawmaker died while snorkeling in Lhaviyani Atoll.
By Tamilla Hasanova
