Arabic version: حادث غوص مأساوي يودي بحياة خمسة إيطاليين في جزر المالديف

Authorities have confirmed the recovery of four bodies belonging to Italian divers who went missing during a scuba diving accident in the Maldives last week. The divers were discovered inside a 60-metre-deep cave in Vaavu Atoll by a joint team of highly trained Finnish and Maldivian divers, according to local officials. One body had already been located shortly after the incident occurred on Thursday.

Among the deceased are Giorgia Sommacal, her mother Monica Montefalcone, and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti. The group was part of a research team from the University of Genoa, which included researchers Muriel Oddenino and Federico Gualtieri. The tragic event is being described as the worst single diving accident in the Maldives, a popular destination known for its coral islands.

In a related incident, a Maldivian rescue diver, Staff Sgt Mohamed Mahdhee, also lost his life while searching for the missing divers. He was part of a group of eight rescue divers who entered the water for the recovery mission. After realizing Mahdhee did not surface with the others, his colleagues re-entered the water and found him unconscious.

Further dives are planned in the coming days to recover the bodies, as officials continue to navigate the challenges presented by the underwater terrain. According to BBC News, the Maldivian government is coordinating efforts to ensure the safe recovery of all victims involved in this tragic incident.