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Rescuers situated the our bodies of four Italian divers deep inside an underwater cave within the Maldives, days after the group vanished throughout a harmful dive far past leisure limits, Italy’s International Ministry mentioned Monday.
Officers mentioned Finnish cave-diving specialists discovered the our bodies within the innermost part of the cave system in Vaavu Atoll, the place the divers disappeared Thursday whereas exploring at a depth of about 160 toes. The leisure diving restrict within the Maldives is 98 toes.
“As was beforehand thought, the 4 our bodies have been discovered contained in the cave, not solely contained in the cave however properly contained in the cave into the third section of the cave, which is the most important half,” Maldives authorities spokesman Ahmed Shaam mentioned, including the victims have been discovered “just about collectively.”
The Thinwana Kandu cave system the place the our bodies have been discovered is thought regionally as “shark cave.”
RESCUE OPERATION FREES INJURED MAN TRAPPED 130 FEET UNDERGROUND IN ITALIAN CAVE
Monica Montefalcone, one in every of 5 Italian scuba divers who died close to Alimathaa within the Maldives archipelago whereas exploring an underwater cave, is proven on this undated photograph launched by Greenpeace Italia on Might 15, 2026. (Greenpeace Italia/AP)
Restoration crews plan to retrieve two our bodies Tuesday and the remaining two the next day, officers mentioned.
The invention got here after authorities resumed the search following the death of a Maldivian military diver concerned within the rescue mission. Mohamed Mahdi died Saturday from decompression illness after trying to succeed in the trapped divers.
Mohamed Mahdi, a member of the Maldivian Nationwide Protection Pressure, died from decompression illness in the course of the harmful mission, officers mentioned. (Maldives Nationwide Protection Pressure)
A fifth Italian diver, recognized earlier as a diving teacher, was beforehand discovered lifeless outdoors the cave.
The specialised Finnish team used superior closed-circuit rebreather programs, permitting for longer and deeper dives within the cave’s confined atmosphere.
Divers put together to seek for 4 lacking Italian divers close to Alimathaa Island, Vaavu Atoll, Maldives, on Might 15, 2026. (Maldives President’s Media Division/AP)
Tough seas and unsafe underwater circumstances repeatedly delayed search efforts as crews mapped and marked the cave entrance earlier than pushing deeper inside.
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Authorities proceed to research the scenario and what led to the divers’ deaths.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
