Overview
- The group disappeared during a cave exploration near Alimathà in Vaavu Atoll on Thursday, and Maldivian and Italian authorities later confirmed all five had died.
- Rescuers recovered the body of instructor Gianluca Benedetti from a cave and believe the remaining four victims are inside the same 60-meter cavity, which the military called extremely dangerous to access.
- Victims identified by institutions include marine ecologist Monica Montefalcone of the University of Genoa, her 23-year-old daughter, researcher Muriel Oddenino, and recent graduate and dive instructor Federico Gualtieri.
- The divers were sailing on the Duke of York liveaboard, whose operator supports rebreathers used for technical dives, indicating a deep cave penetration around 50 meters rather than a routine recreational dive.
- Meteorologists had issued a yellow alert for strong winds in the area, local officials called it the Maldives’ worst recorded diving accident, and investigators are examining conditions and procedures.