Overview
- The group, who vanished Thursday during a cave dive in Vaavu Atoll, are confirmed dead, with one body recovered and four believed to remain inside a 60‑metre cave.
- Maldivian forces describe a high‑risk recovery and confirmed a military diver died from decompression sickness during the search.
- Officials identified the victims as University of Genoa professor Monica Montefalcone, her daughter Giorgia Sommacal, researchers Muriel Oddenino and Federico Gualtieri, and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti.
- The tourism ministry suspended the operating license of the Duke of York live‑aboard that carried the divers pending the investigation.
- Italy sent senior diplomats to Malé, coordinated support with Divers Alert Network, and said about 20 other Italians on the voyage are safe and receiving assistance.