In a tragic discovery, the bodies of four Italian divers were found deep within an underwater cave in the Maldives, days after they disappeared during a hazardous dive that exceeded safe recreational limits. This update was confirmed by Italy’s Foreign Ministry on Monday.
The divers’ remains were located by Finnish cave-diving experts in the farthest reaches of the Vaavu Atoll cave system. The group had vanished on Thursday while diving at a daunting depth of approximately 160 feet, far beyond the Maldives’ recreational diving limit of 98 feet.
Maldives government spokesperson Ahmed Shaam explained, “As previously suspected, the four bodies were discovered well inside the cave, in the third and largest section, and were found quite close together.”
The cave complex, known locally as the “shark cave,” is part of the Thinwana Kandu system where the unfortunate incident occurred.
An undated photograph released by Greenpeace Italia on May 15, 2026, shows Monica Montefalcone, one of the five Italian scuba divers who lost their lives near Alimathaa in the Maldives while exploring the underwater cave.
Efforts to recover the bodies are underway, with plans to retrieve two on Tuesday and the remaining two by the following day, according to officials.
The discovery came after authorities resumed the search following the death of a Maldivian military diver involved in the rescue mission. Mohamed Mahdi died Saturday from decompression sickness after attempting to reach the trapped divers.
Mohamed Mahdi, a member of the Maldivian National Defense Force, died from decompression sickness during the dangerous mission, officials said. (Maldives National Defense Force)
A fifth Italian diver, identified earlier as a diving instructor, was previously found dead outside the cave.
The specialized Finnish team used advanced closed-circuit rebreather systems, allowing for longer and deeper dives in the cave’s confined environment.
Divers prepare to search for four missing Italian divers near Alimathaa Island, Vaavu Atoll, Maldives, on May 15, 2026. (Maldives President’s Media Division/AP)
Rough seas and hazardous underwater conditions repeatedly delayed search efforts as crews mapped and marked the cave entrance before pushing deeper inside.
Authorities continue to investigate the situation and what led to the divers’ deaths.
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